The "Telefono Rosso": a service for the prevention of birth defects and for the evaluation of teratogenic risk

The "Telefono Rosso" ("Red telephone") is a specialized service for preconceptional counselling and teratogenic risk evaluation. In both cases the choice of telephone communication allows to reach a wide basin of users with personalized information. The service finds one of its main reasons in the marked disinformation which exists in this field and in the wrong risk perception shown by a high proportion of users. In addition to serving the community to prevent birth defects and to prevent some induced abortions, the "Telefono Rosso" represents a unique opportunity to add to the current body of knowledge by documenting the outcomes of pregnancies exposed to a variety of agents. In this respect the "Telefono Rosso" may be considered an additional source of post-marketing surveillance.