ANTIBIOTIC MISUSE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN MISURATA CITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36602/mmsj/2016.n05.06Keywords:
Antibiotic, Self-Medication, Pregnancy, fetal, Side effectsAbstract
There is increasing evidence that the self-medications among pregnant women is common in many developing
countries. Despite the adverse impact on pregnancy, there are few programs available for their control. The objective of this study was to assess the level of self-medication by antibiotics amongst Libyan pregnant women in order
to determine the drug misuse, development of resistance and the possible harmful effects on fetus. Four hundred
pregnant women, aged between 18 and 40 years were drawn from outpatient obstetric clinics and hospitals in
Misurata city and assessed for self-medication by antibiotics, adapted from a self-report questionnaire based on the
WHO guidelines for antibiotic misuse survey. Of the 400 pregnant women assessed, 61 (15.3%) indulged in the selfuse of antibiotics for common cold, fever cough and pelvic pains (not prescribed from the antenatal clinic), 107
(26.8%) didn`t complete the full course of the drug (prescribed from the antenatal clinic) when they felt any improvement. A total of 211(52.7 %) pregnant women complete the full course of the drug and 21 (5.2%) are not
aware in antibiotic misuse in pregnancy. There was a significant difference in the pregnant women whom completed
the full course of the drug and those don`t complete it. (X2=10.97, p=0.001); There was also a significant difference
between the presence of current pregnancy illness and antibiotic misuse (X2=9.04, p=0.001) There was no significant difference among pregnant women who were highly educated compared to those with little or no education.
However, the level of education has no strong impact in the self-usage of antibiotics as shown above. No fetal complications related to misuse was detected. This study shows that self-medication is not uncommon among pregnant
women in our environment. There is need for adequate education of pregnant women during antenatal clinics on the
potential danger of antibiotic self-medication so as to prevent child and maternal morbidity and mortality.
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