Self-Medication in Pregnancy and Associated Psychopathological Symptoms of Antenatal Nigerian Women

Abstract

The physical and psychological health challenges of Self-Medication (SM) for a pregnant woman and the unborn child spotlights it as an emergency. This unwraps a gap in epidemiological studies on SM and associated psychopathological symptoms among Nigerian pregnant women. This study examines the predictive influence of self-medication with Over The Counter (OTC) drugs on manifested psychopathological symptoms among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, southwestern Nigeria. Purposively selected 277 pregnant women ( x age = 29.33; SD = 4.77) participated in the study. The participants responded to the Substance Abuse Prevalence Inventory, Self-Medication Test (SMT), and Awaritefe Psychological Index (API). Findings reveal a low prevalence of psychoactive drug use (2.8%) and a high prevalence of (OTC) drug self-medication (31.4%) and psychopathological symptoms (34.7%). Self-medication with OTC drugs independently and significantly predicted severities of insomnia (β = .178, p = .001), intellect disorder (β = .244, p = .000), heat disorder (β = .109, p = .046), mood disorder (β = .188, p = .001), head region disorder (β = .162, p = .003), alimentary tract disorder (β = .118, p = .030), general somatic disorder (β = .244, p = .000), and general psychopathology (β = .229, p = .000). The study reports a high prevalence of psychopathological symptoms among the Nigerian sample and concludes that the SM of OTC drugs is a significant predictor of the severity of the symptoms of psychopathology among pregnant women.

Prevalence of self-medication in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Also, lower rates have been reported among pregnant women in Iran (38.46%),45 in Mexico (21.9%)46 and in Ethiopia (26.6%) 47. The high prevalence of self-medication among pregnant women in Ghana is all the more a matter of public health concern because self-medication is associated with maternal death, premature birth, low birth weight and fetal malformations 10 11. The findings of the current review support earlier findings that the free maternal healthcare policy in Ghana is not effectively enforced, limiting access to maternal healthcare 48 49…”

“…Although self-medication is known to reduce the pressure on healthcare systems,7 it is associated with severe challenges, particularly in countries where health literacy is low 8. Key among these challenges include the development of antimicrobial resistance, increased morbidity, rising costs of healthcare services,9 foetal malformations, maternal deaths, psychopathological symptoms among pregnant women,10 11 drug addiction, toxicity and drug–drug contraindications 12…”

Epidemiology of Malaria in Pregnancy and Associated Risk Factors in Nigeria: a Review

“…Drug abuse or misuse resulting from selfmedication prevalent among pregnant women is considered a significant public health concern across the globe. According to studies, only about 10% -30% of clinical signs experienced by individuals are made known to a physician, and the majority of these clinical manifestations are either endured or self-medicated [52].…”

Self-medication among pregnant women in Ghana: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Moreover, the safety of several commonly used medicines for pregnant women is unknown since clinical trials do not usually include pregnant women as participants ( Smolina et al., 2015 ). Also, self-medication is a known predictor of common psychopathological symptoms among pregnant women ( Akinnawo et al., 2020 ). Using untested herbal products as medicines could lead to severe congenital disabilities and fetal malformations ( Ameade et al., 2018 ).…”