How Many Physicians Prescribe Quinine For The Treatment Of Malaria In The First Trimester Of Pregnancy?

Abstract

Introduction: Every year a minimum of 30 million women living in malaria endemic regions of the world become pregnant. In Nigeria, about 23.7% of these pregnant women have malaria parasites in their blood. The national policy for the treatment of malaria in pregnancy recommends Quinine as the drug of choice for the treatment of malaria in the first trimester.
Aims: This study evaluated the prescription pattern for treatment of malaria in the first trimester by physicians in Delta State and factors associated with physician's willingness to prescribe Quinine.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire based study of physicians attending the Delta State Annual General Meeting.
Results: Chloroquine was the drug of choice for treating malaria in the first trimester by 40.2 % of doctors. This was followed by Quinine (19.6%), and Amodiaquine (14.7%). Fansidar and Artesunate were prescribed by 8.8% and 6.9% of Doctors respectively. Fifty-seven (56%) doctors indicated that they have prescribed Quinine during the first trimester as treatment for malaria. The fear of quinine causing miscarriage was a significant consideration affecting the prescription of quinine. Most physicians prescribed quinine in lower doses.
Conclusion: A lot of education needs to be done to make physicians follow the national malaria treatment policy.

Keywords: Quinine, malaria, first trimester, Physicians