Prevalence and Determinants of Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinics in Al Baha City, Saudi Arabia | ||
| The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 29 June 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejcm.2025.368811.1384 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Eman Fouad Ataya* 1, 2; Hind Alzahrani3; Eman Nabil Ramadan1; Wisal Babiker1; Mona Abdelgadir Abuagla1; Ibdaa Fatani1; Ghala Aiedh1; Manar Alghamdi1; Shahad Othman Alghamdi1; Hanan Ali1; Remas Majed Alghamdi1; Atheer Saeed Alghamdi1; Mostafa Mohamed Fathy4; Shaimaa Abdalaleem Abdalgeleel1, 5 | ||
| 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia | ||
| 2Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 3Basic Sciences department, Faculty of Applied of Medical Sciences, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia | ||
| 4Faculty of medicine, Benha National University, Benha, Egypt | ||
| 5Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Self-medication (SM) refers to the use of pharmaceuticals to address self-diagnosed ailments without a medical prescription. This practice may impose considerable harm on both pregnant mothers and the embryo. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of SM among pregnant women in Al Baha City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2024, at a hospital in Al Baha City involving 170 expectant mothers who attended antenatal care outpatient clinics. Particpants were identified through a convenience sampling. Face-to-face interviews and a standardized questionnaire were used to collect the data. Results: A total of 170 pregnant women were surveyed. The mean age was 32.6±6.8 years. The majority of participants were of Saudi (94.71%), had a university education, and were multigravida (67%). Out of 170, 51 (30%) mothers were practicing SM. The most commonly used drugs for SM were analgesics (80.1%) and cough and cold medications (14.5%). The primary reasons for SM included the belief that the condition was mild (53.6%), considered an emergency (24.1%), and the believe that consultation with a pharmacist is sufficient (17.9%). The presence of comorbidities was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of SM. Conclusions: The study showed that 30% of expectant mothers were practicing SM. The main misconception was benign or emergency conditions justify practicing SM. The findings emphasized the need for specific educational programs and regulatory measures to reduce the hazards linked to SM throughout pregnancy, particularly in the first weeks of gestation. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Keywords: Pregnancy; Self-medication; Antenatal care; Prevalence | ||
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