Journal
SAUDI PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL
Volume 22, Issue 5, Pages 419-428Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2013.09.001
Keywords
Pregnancy; Beliefs about medication; Drug information; Saudi Arabia; Women
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Objective: Medication use during pregnancy is a major concern for most women. The aim of the present study was to assess medication use, knowledge and beliefs about medications among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia. Methods: More than 760 pregnant women, attending the obstetric clinic, filled a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected about their sociodemographic background, medication use during pregnancy, medication/pregnancy risk awareness, sources of drug information and beliefs about medications. Results: Most women had a positive attitude toward medications in general but they believed pregnant women should be more cautious regarding drug-use during pregnancy. A significant association was found between participants' education and occupation, and beliefs about medications. In this context, well educated women and those working in a health-related career demonstrated more correct beliefs about medications. Women with health-related occupations were more knowledgeable about the life saving effect of drugs on unborn children. Women indicated inadequate provision of drug-related information from physician and pharmacist; they rely on medication pamphlet to get such information. The most frequently used drugs were paracetamol and vitamins (13.2%). Most pregnant women (59.2%) were able to identify drugs to-be avoided in pregnancy that agreed roughly with FDA categories with 23 hits out of 32. They indicated that newborn anomalies (6.5%) were not attributed to drug-use during pregnancy. Conclusion: During pregnancy, women were more conservative and skeptic toward medication, health-care professionals should be aware of such attitudes when advising pregnant women to take medication. (C) 2013 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.
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