Department of Pharmacy, College of Medical Sciences, AL-Saeeda University, Dhamar, Yemen.
Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
PLoS One. 2024 Oct 1;19(10):e0311235. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311235. eCollection 2024.
Medication use during pregnancy is a critical concern due to potential risks to both the mother and fetus. To the extent of our knowledge, there has been no prior research to assess medication use and identify the specific factors of pregnant women within the Yemeni community. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of Yemeni pregnant women regarding medication use and assess the factors associated with the knowledge during pregnancy.
A cross-sectional multi-center study was conducted through face-to-face interviews using a validated structured questionnaire. The study was conducted on pregnant women receiving antenatal care at tertiary care hospitals in four governorates in Yemen. Univariable and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to examine the relationship between participant variables and their knowledge. A P-value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant.
Out of the 1003 pregnant women, 35.4% (n = 355) were aged 21-25 years, 33.9% (n = 340) had primary education, 73.6% (n = 738) lived in urban areas, 12.2% (n = 122) were smokers, 38.3% (n = 384) reported chewing khat, and the majority (90.2%, n = 905) were unemployed. Also, 65.5% (n = 657) of the participants reported taking folic acid in their current pregnancy. A total of 2,623 medications were utilized during pregnancy, with 17.8% during the first trimester (n = 468). Around 39.3% (n = 1,037) of medications used fell under the blood and blood-forming organs category. Education level (AOR: 4.00, P < .001), insurance status (AOR: 1.71, P = .026), information about medication risks to the fetus (AOR: 1.96, P = .023), the use of folic acid either in a previous pregnancy (AOR: 1.65, P < .008) or in the current pregnancy (AOR: 4.26, P < .001), and checking the medication leaflet (AOR: 5.67, P < .001) were predictors of higher knowledge.
The findings underscore the pressing need for educational interventions aimed at pregnant women. By bridging knowledge gaps and promoting informed decision-making, such initiatives can contribute to a safer and healthier pregnancy journey, reducing the inclination towards self-medication.
由于药物对母亲和胎儿都有潜在风险，因此孕妇用药是一个至关重要的问题。据我们所知，之前还没有研究评估也门孕妇群体的用药情况并确定相关因素。本研究旨在调查也门孕妇对用药的认知、信念和实践，并评估与孕期知识相关的因素。
采用面对面访谈的方式，通过已验证的结构化问卷，进行了一项多中心横断面研究。该研究在也门四个省的三级保健医院接受产前护理的孕妇中开展。采用单变量和多变量逻辑回归分析参与者变量与知识之间的关系。P 值小于 0.05 被认为具有统计学意义。
在 1003 名孕妇中，35.4%（n=355）年龄在 21-25 岁，33.9%（n=340）接受过小学教育，73.6%（n=738）居住在城市地区，12.2%（n=122）为吸烟者，38.3%（n=384）有咀嚼恰特草的习惯，大多数（90.2%，n=905）为失业人员。此外，65.5%（n=657）的参与者报告在当前妊娠中服用了叶酸。在妊娠期间共使用了 2623 种药物，其中 17.8%（n=468）在孕早期使用。约 39.3%（n=1037）的用药属于血液和造血器官类药物。教育程度（OR：4.00，P<0.001）、保险状况（OR：1.71，P=0.026）、关于药物对胎儿风险的信息（OR：1.96，P=0.023）、之前妊娠中使用过叶酸（OR：1.65，P<0.008）或当前妊娠中使用过叶酸（OR：4.26，P<0.001）、以及查看药物说明书（OR：5.67，P<0.001）是知识水平较高的预测因素。
这些发现强调了针对孕妇开展教育干预的迫切需求。通过缩小知识差距并促进知情决策，此类举措有助于实现更安全、更健康的妊娠旅程，减少自我用药的倾向。
