ASSESSMENT OF DRUG USE AND EFFECT IN PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE IN HOSPITALS OF MEKELLE, TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the extent and nature of drug utilization among pregnant women attending antenatal care in hospitals of Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based cross sectional study was conducted by reviewing the antenatal care follow up cards and interviewing pregnant women using semi-structured questionnaire by nurses working in the four hospitals. Details of drugs self utilized and prescribed during the current pregnancy were investigated and categorized according to the United States Food and Drug Administration fetal risk classification. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Result: Of the 400 participants, majority 199 (49.8%) were in age group of 26-36years. 38 (9.5%) and 8 (2%) have self utilized modern and herbal drugs, respectively. Majority 26 (59.1%) were analgesics. Most 32 (84.2%) of the self medicated modern drugs were from category C, followed by category B. Illiterates and secondary school complete participants have practiced self medication 3.7 times (AOR 3.65 (1.31, 10.20), p=0.014) and 4.03 times (AOR 4.03 (1.09, 14.96), p=0.038) more than the tertiary complete participants, respectively. Self medication use was 3.7 times more among non government employees than governmental employees (AOR 3.68 (1.11, 12.17), p=0.033). Forty one (10.2%) of the participants had chronic diseases where most 26 (39.4%) were from category C, followed by category D 17 (25.8%). Of all the participants, 249 (62.2%) consumed one or more prescription drugs, with 1.86±0.94 average number of drugs prescribed per pregnant women. Majority 190 (76.3%) were from category B, followed by category C 94 (37.8%), category A 53 (21.3%), category C/D 23 (9.2%), category D 22 (8.8%), category B/C 7 (2.8%), category A/C 3 (1.2%) and category X 1 (0.4%). One hundred one (40.6%) of the drugs were prescribed in Ayder referral hospital, followed by Mekelle 93 (37.3%), kalkidan 31 (12.4%) and Meskerem 24 (9.6%) hospitals. Majority of the drugs prescribed in each hospital were from category B (80 (32.1%), 71 (28.5%), 21 (8.4%) and 18 (7.2%), respectively. Antibacterial drugs were the most commonly prescribed 146 (38.7%). Conclusion: Majority consumed one or more prescription drugs. Most of them were from category B.