Abstract
Background Self-medication is being prevalent throughout the globe. Although pregnant women are among the most vulnerable group of the population for drug-induced adverse effects on their fetus and themselves, many pregnant women use self-medication without adequate safety precautions. Objective This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication among pregnant women on antenatal care follow-up at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study was employed among 400 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital between February 01 and May 30, 2019. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS® (IBM Corporation) version 22. Descriptive statistics were presented using frequency and proportion. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with self-medication with a 95% confidence level and p value of 0.05. Results Among 400 respondents, the prevalence of self-medication during the current pregnancy was 44.8% (95% CI = 40.5-50). Among all respondents (400), 38.0% (95% CI = 33.3-42.8) and 12.5% (95% CI = 9.5-15) used herbal and conventional medicine, respectively. Self-medication showed a significant association with a previous history of self-medication and monthly income. Conclusions The prevalence of self-medication among pregnant women is considerably high. The previous history of self-medication and monthly income showed a significant association with self-medication. Awareness creation should be done for reproductive-age women on the potential risks of self-medication.
Highlights
Self-medication is being prevalent throughout the globe
The study was conducted at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UoGCSH), Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia, which is found at 738 km from Addis Ababa
When we look into its subparts, conventional and herbal medicines, the prevalence of CM practice was 12.5%
Summary
Self-medication is being prevalent throughout the globe. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication among pregnant women on antenatal care follow-up at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. A cross-sectional study was employed among 400 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital between February 01 and May 30, 2019. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS® (IBM Corporation) version 22. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with self-medication with a 95% confidence level and p value of 0.05. Among 400 respondents, the prevalence of self-medication during the current pregnancy was 44.8% (95% CI = 40:5-50). The prevalence of selfmedication among pregnant women is considerably high. Awareness creation should be done for reproductive-age women on the potential risks of self-medication
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.