EXPERTS say that there is a high prevalence of self-medication among pregnant women and it is more pronounced among married, urban dwellers and those with primary school and below certificates, including women aged 25 years and above.
In a study, researchers found more than two-thirds had poor knowledge of self-medication and about half of them practiced self-medication despite the danger associated with self-medication and the use of herbs.
Self-medication was commonly done using analgesics (83.1%), antibiotics (66.7%), antimalarial (28.9%), vitamins (23.7%) and anti-inflammatories (21.7%), vitamins (23.7%) and herbal preparation (11.3%). Nausea and vomiting (90.4%), diarrhoea (67.8%), back pain (62.1%) and fever (28.8%) were the common medical problems.
A hospital-based cross-sectional survey had looked at the pattern and determinants of self-medication among pregnant women. It involved 347 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at 56 primary health care facilities in Ogbomoso. It was in the Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health.
While commonly self-medicated drugs were majorly sourced from the patent medicine stores and mostly consumed during the first trimester, they stated that the main reasons for self-medication were previous experience with the drugs (50.9%), the suggestion by family about the drugs (45.2%) and advice from the community pharmacists (31.6%).
The proportion of the women who used herbal concoction was 30.0% and the reasons given for the herbal use was low cost (47.6%) and perceived efficacy (42.9%). The proportion of pregnant women who gave a history of abnormality in the previously born baby (ies) was 13.0%. Cleft lip (66.7%) was the most prevalent abnormality.
They added, “this was not surprising due to the higher prevalence of self-medication practice during the first trimester; the period of organogenesis. More than 10% of birth defects are due to the exposure of pregnant women to drugs.
“The communal belief that herbal medicine has better safety and efficacy than orthodox medications as well as the high positive history of previous babies with abnormality calls for serious concern in these studies.”
The researchers, however, suggested that health education of family members and sensitization on the dangers of self-medication should be given a priority if we must reduce the rising profile of drug resistance, infant and maternal mortalities in our communities.
In addition, they said “It is essential for the health workers in charge of antenatal clinics in primary health care facilities to reiterate more on the symptoms associated with early pregnancy and the need to seek medical advice from the professionals rather than embarking on self-treatment. This will go a long way in reducing pregnancy-related complications, especially in the first trimester.”
In Nigeria, the practice of self-medication among pregnant women is a major public health concern, as many pregnant women now procure drugs over the counter for self-treatment instead of seeking health services where medications will be used according to the physician´s prescription. Self-medication is partly accountable for why pregnant women seek medical care late.
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