Assessment of Drugs Use Among Pregnant Women Attending ANC in Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital Birnin Kebbi Kebbi State Nigeria
Background: Maternal drug used during pregnancy may pose a teratogenic risk to the foetus and complications to the mother. However, the recommendation to avoid use of all drugs during pregnancy is unrealistic and may be dangerous, which depends on the risk benefit ratio to the mother and foetus. Proper use of medication during pregnancy is an essential part of prenatal care, since it can affect not only the health of the pregnant woman but also the developing foetus which is exposed to wide range of adverse effects. Design and Method: The study was retrospective descriptive cross sectional survey. The target population comprised of all the pregnant women attending ANC in Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital Birnin Kebbi. Systematic sampling was used in selecting sample of the research. The sample size was calculated using the Cochran's equation for sample proportion, at 95% confidence interval. Data was collected using structured questionnaire administered to the respondents during their clinic session. Face and content validity was used to validate the research instrument and test retest reliability was used to ascertain the reliability of the questionnaire. Ethical approval was collected from Kebbi State Health Research Ethical Committee. Data was analysed using descriptive statistic in tables indicating percentages and frequencies; and Chi square statistical tool in hypotheses testing using SPSS version 20. Result: The result shows that 49.6% of the respondents were not taking the entire drugs prescribed to them. 25.8% of the respondents believed that some drugs prescribed at ANC clinic may be detrimental to them or their foetuses. 20.7% 21.3% and 20.0% of the respondents dislike multivamins, folic acid and fersolate respectively among the ANC prescribed drugs. 9.5% of the respondents think multivitamin is not important. 8.1% 9.4% and 6.1% of the respondents think fersolate, folic acid and calcium gluconate respectively are not important. The results show that at 0.05 level of significant age has no effect on the use of prescribed drugs, P >0.05; level of education has effect on common non prescribed drugs pregnant women used, P 0.05. Conclusion: It is concluded that lack of knowledge, beliefs and wrong perception on the use of drugs have a tremendous influence on the way pregnant women use drugs. About half of the respondents take drugs for more than prescribed days which might leads to some teratogenic effects. It is recommended that more effort be applied in educating pregnant women on all aspect of drugs use in pregnancy especially during ANC visit. Importance of multivitamins, minerals and iron supplement in pregnancy should be stressed to the pregnant women attending ANC. Key words: Ante natal care, Assessment, Birnin kebbi, Drugs use, Pregnant women, Nigeria