Aims To compare the pattern of psychotropic drug prescriptions in adolescents who started a drug therapy after the COVD-19 pandemic and in adolescents who began before the pandemic. Methods A healthcare database from Italy’s Lombardy region was analyzed to compare the prescription profiles of psychotropic drugs (N05 and N06 groups of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system) and access to healthcare services among two cohorts of adolescents, aged 12–17. One cohort received their first psychotropic drug prescription in 2018 (pre-pandemic), and the other received theirs in 2021 (post-pandemic). The incidence, number of prescriptions within 12 months of the initial prescription, therapy persistence at the end of the observation period, and prevalence of polytherapy (prescription of more than one psychotropic class) were evaluated. Additionally, access to healthcare services was monitored before and after the initial prescription. Results The incidence increased from 3.01 per 1,000 in 2018 to 4.97 per 1,000 in 2021 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.64; 95% CI 1.55–1.74), with the largest rise in girls aged 12–14 (IRR 2.35; 95% CI 2.01–2.77). Among girls, the mean number of prescriptions (+39%), prevalence of polytherapy (+57%), and persistence at 12 months (+38%) all increased post-pandemic, while no significant changes were observed among boys. Prior healthcare service use rose from 58.4% in 2018 to 65.7% in 2021. Conclusions The increase in incidence and intensity of psychotropic drug prescriptions in adolescent girls confirms the existence of gender differences in the pandemic’s impact on mental health.

Aim To describe the antiepileptic drug (AED) prescription pattern in pregnant women and women of childbearing age in the 2010-2019 period in the Lombardy region, Italy. Methods The Lombardy region administrative healthcare databases (2010-2019) were analysed. AEDs were classified as drugs belonging to the N03A subgroup of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. Women 15-49 years old were considered as women of childbearing age, while exposure during pregnancy was estimated taking into account the 12 months before delivery (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, ICD-9-CM codes in the diagnosis record from 650 to 659). Results During 2019, 16,605 women of childbearing age (prevalence: 14.8‰) received at least one AED prescription. Pregabalin was the most widely used antiepileptic in women of childbearing age (22.3%), followed by valproic acid (20.0%). The prevalence of AED prescription in pregnant women was 3.8‰, and levetiracetam and lamotrigine (16.6%) were the most commonly prescribed drugs. The prevalence of AED prescription did not change from 2010 to 2019 in women of childbearing age or in pregnant women. Valproic acid was one of the most used AEDs in pregnancy until 2016, after which its prescription declined from 19% to 14% of AED users. Conclusions Despite the decrease in valproic acid prescription over time, this drug is still among the most used AEDs, in particular in women of childbearing age. Educational interventions for healthcare professionals and women are needed in order to reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy.