Survey of Drug Use in Labour in a Kuwaiti Hospital: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: To study the trends of drugs used in labour in Kuwait. Methods: A drug survey of a total of 326 mothers was conducted in the labour room of the Maternity Hospital, Kuwait. Data were collected from the prescription sheets and patient files by four doctors from the labour room based on a 4-day duty rotation schedule. Results: Percentages of the prescribed drugs were: analgesics 59.5, tranquilizers 25.5, uterotonics 7.4, antibiotics 5.5, anticonvulsants 0.9, antihypertensives 1.5, and H₂ receptor blockers 38.96. Conclusion: Our survey has shown that analgesics, H₂ receptor blockers and tranquilizers constitute the most commonly used drugs in labour.