Self medication among women during pregnancy

1. SELF MEDICATION AMONG WOMEN
DURING PREGNANCY
BY
DR. HOPE INEGBENOSUN

2. OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Incidence of self medication
• Reason for self medication by pregnant women
• Drugs that are often self medicated
• Disease conditions for which drugs are self
medicated
• Dangers of self medication among pregnant women
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References

3. INTRODUCTION
 Self-medication can be defined as the use of drugs
to treat self-diagnosed disorders and symptoms, or
the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed
drug for chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms.
 As a phenomenon, self-medication is manifested
when people use over the counter medications to
resolve usually perceived minor health challenges.

4. INCIDENCE OF SELF MEDICATION
 Rahman et al. (2008) reveal that approximately
80% of the population in the world rely on the use
of unconventional medicines as the first source of
health care.
 Abasiubong et al. (2012) emphasized that self-
medication has become a normal attitude in
Nigeria.
 A study of pregnant women in Ibadan Nigeria
revealed that 63.8% of women self medicate
(Yusuf, & Omarusehe, 2011).

5. INCIDENCE OF SELF MEDICATION CONT.
 However, low prevalence rates of self medication
were reported among pregnant women in Uyo,
Nigeria (27.6%) by Abasuibong et al (2012),
 Pregnancy is usually associated with several minor
ailments (headache, nausea, heartburn, back pain);
coupled with the general unwillingness of people to
suffer; to the „stress‟ associated with seeking
medical care, may explain the high incidence of
self-medication among pregnant women.

6. REASONS FOR SELF MEDICATION BY PREGNANT
WOMEN
 Some of which include prevention of abortion,
treatment of insomnia, nausea and vomiting,
infection and prevention of anaemia.
 Others include high cost of consultation of private
doctors, non seriousness of illness, emergency use
and prior experience about illness.

7. DRUGS THAT ARE OFTEN SELF MEDICATED
 Antibiotics
 Antimalarials
 Analgesics like Paracetamol
 Cough syrups
 Vitamins
 Herbs and herbal drugs

8. DISEASE CONDITIONS FOR WHICH DRUGS
ARE SELF MEDICATED
 Malaria is one of the main disease conditions for which
pregnant women self-medicate drugs.
 Since pregnancy is usually accompanied by nausea,
vomiting, back and waist pain, pregnant women often
self-medicate to treat these ailments as well.
 Stomach upset, bowel irregularity and difficulty sleeping
at night are other conditions usually treated with self-
medication

9. DANGERS OF SELF MEDICATION
AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
 Self-medication is a universal challenge that
requires attention because of the potential threat
not only to the woman but also to her unborn child.
 Many drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy and
not many women know which drug is dangerous to
them and their unborn child.

10. DANGERS OF SELF MEDICATION BY
PREGNANT WOMEN CONT.
 Every day, about 2,300 under-five and 145 women
of child bearing age are lost in Nigeria, making the
country the second largest contributor to the under-
five and maternal mortality rates in the globe
(UNICEF, 2013).
 Although self-medication is not a direct cause of
maternal and child mortality, consequences of self-
medication could lead to abortion and subsequently
death.

11. DANGERS OF SELF MEDICATION BY
PREGNANT WOMEN CONT.
 Self medication could be risky because of incorrect
diagnosis, delay in seeking medical advice when
needed, infrequent but severe reaction, dangerous
drug reaction, incorrect manner of administration,
incorrect dosage, incorrect choice of therapy,
masking of a severe disease and risk of
dependence and abuse

12. CONCLUSION
 It is therefore very imperative to embark on
educational campaigns and strict legislation
measures relating to drugs dispensing from
pharmacies to reduce the incidence of self
medication of at-risk pregnant women and protect
them from potential dangers of self-medication.

13. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Midwives and other health workers need to encourage
women to always see a doctor when sick and avoid
using other alternatives.
2. Health education about the dangers of self medication
should be focused more on younger women in a
situation of scarce resources.
3. Access to Doctors should be made easier by pregnant
women

14. RECOMMENDATIONS CONT.
4. Pregnant women should have limited access to
their prescriptions.
5. Women need to be urgently informed and
reminded during antenatal classes not to indulge in
self medication but rather see a Doctor whenever
they have any health concern no matter how minor it
is.
6. The effects of drugs in pregnancy should be taught
during antenatal visits.

15. REFERENCES
 Abasuibong F, Bassey EA, Udobong JA, Akinbami SO, Udoh
SB, Idung AU (2012). Self-medication: Potential risk and
hazard among pregnant women in Uyo, Nigeria. Pan Afr
Med; 25(2):125-131
 Rahman A, Sulaiman SA, Ahmad Z, Salleh H, Daud WN,
Hamid AM (2009). Women's attitude and socio-demographic
characteristics influencing usage of herbal medicines during
pregnancy in Tumpat District, Kelantan, Southeast Asian J
Trop Med Public Health, 40 (2), 330-337
 UNICEF (2013). Maternal and child health.
www.unicef.org/nigeria/children_1926.htlm
 Yusuf KB, Omerusehe LD (2011). Determinants of self
medication practices among pregnant women in Ibadan,
Nigeria. Int J Clin Pharm; 33 (5) 868- 875.