DRUG PRESCRIBING PATTERN AND ITS POTENTIAL FETAL HARM AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN BISHOFTU GENERAL HOSPITAL, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA
*Diriba Alemayehu Gadisa, Abduba Wariyo Guyo
ABSTRACT
Background: Prescribing drugs to pregnant women requires the balancing benefits and risks. Only a small proportion of drugs are known to be harmful to the fetus, but for the vast majority of drugs little evidence of fetal safety exist. Objective: To assess the pattern of drug prescribing and its potential fetal harm among pregnant women in Bishoftu General Hospital, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: All drug prescriptions of pregnant women prescribed from March, 2013 to March, 2014 were reviewed retrospectively using structured data collection format. Result: A total of 262 pregnant women prescriptions were in included in the study. The average maternal age in the study was 27.37 years. The rates of first trimester, second trimester and third trimester pregnancy term were 69 (26.34%), 112 (42.75%) and 81 (30.91%), respectively. The average numbers of drugs prescribed per pregnant women was found to be 1.63. To prevent anemia and vitamin deficiency in pregnancy 241(91.98%) was the most common reason for medicine usage followed by to alleviate pains 45(17.17%). Mineral and vitamin 241 (56.31 %) were the most frequently prescribed drugs followed by antibiotics 60(14.02 %) and analgesics 45(10.51 %). Out of 428 drugs prescribed, 62.85% were FDA drug risk category A, 20.56% category B, 11.68% category C, 3.27% category D and 1.64% to category X. Conclusion: Iron and folic acid were the most frequently prescribed drugs. Prescription pattern during pregnancy in the hospital is encouraging except few drugs.
Keywords: Drugs, pregnancy, mineral and vitamins.
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