Study of self-medication among pregnant women and associations with socio-demographic data in Al-qaedah district, Ibb, Yemen

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that self-medications among pregnant women are common in many developing countries. Despite the adverse impact on pregnancy, there are few programs available for their control. Aim of study: The aim of this work was to determine of self-medication among pregnant women associations with socio-demographic and to identify drugs often used in self-medication and most conditions on which self-medication is done with investigate the level of awareness and knowledge of pregnant women about the possible side effects of self-medication on unborn children. Methodology: cross-sectional study was conducted in Alqaidah district from November 2018 to January 2019. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling methods was used to select 95 pregnant women and the health facilities respectively. Basic descriptive was performed and results presented in frequencies and percentages using tables and figures. Results: The prevalence rate of self-medication was (54.1%). The mean age is 28±4.9 years. Majority of the respondents (68.9%) were aged between 16-25 years. Most of the respondents have no formal education 47.5%. This research has also revealed that the perceived non-seriousness of the disease condition (35%), the less expensive of self-medicated drugs (25%), previous experience with drugs (17.5%) and inconveniences with attending hospitals (12.5%) were the main factors informing the practice of self-medication among the sample of respondents. The main disease conditions for which drugs were self-medicated were headache (42.5%), backache (37.5%), lower abdominal pain (30%),waist pain (27.5%), and anemia (20.%). Accordingly, tramadol (57.5%), herbal medicines (47.5%), Artemether and Lumefantrine (32.5%) and Vitamines (30%) were the drugs most often self-medicated, with information on these drugs coming from Pharmacist advise according to respondent‘s complain(35%), previous prescription paper &27.5%) and Friend‘s advice (25). Finally, 30% of respondents had no knowledge of the side effects of self-medication on the pregnant mother and the foetus, while 70% acknowledged that there were some negative side effects of self-medication on the mother and the foetus.