Self-medication in pregnancy and associated factors among antenatal patients of a tertiary facility in North-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Self-medication during pregnancy is common. Some drugs could cause severe adverse effects that are sometimes life-threatening and harm pregnant mothers and fetuses. We evaluated the prevalence of self-medication and associated factors among pregnant women receiving care in a specialist hospital in Bauchi, North-eastern Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 400 pregnant women recruited using systematic random sampling. Data were collected between October and December 2020. A structured questionnaire was employed to investigate sociodemographic characteristics, the magnitude of self-medication in pregnancy, the reasons for this practice, common drugs used, and factors associated with the practice among antenatal care attendees of the hospital. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26, where chi-square was utilized to determine the relationship between variables.

RESULTS

Overall, 40% of pregnant women practised self-medication during pregnancy. The common reasons for self-medication were lower cost, availability/easy access, and the thought that the illness was minor. The common drugs used were paracetamol and other analgesic drugs, antacids/anti-ulcer, anti-malaria, and Cough/Cold mixture. Age, occupation, gravidity, and the number of antenatal visits associated with self-medication.

CONCLUSION

There was a high prevalence of self-medication among the participants. Also, drugs for such practice were cheap, readily available, and accessible, whereas frequent antenatal care attendance discourages self-medication practice in pregnancy. Laws to guide the sale and distribution of drugs should be made while existing ones are enforced.