Prescription drug use and potential teratogenicity risk among pregnant women attending maternal and child health clinic of Kemisse General Hospital, Northeast, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Objective To investigate medications prescribed for pregnant women and their potential teratogenicity risk in Kemisse General Hospital. Result A total of 263 medical records of pregnant women were reviewed, of which 234 pregnant women were prescribed with a total of 430 prescription drugs. The average numbers of drugs per pregnant women was found to be 1.84. Most pregnant women 166 (63.2%) were in the third trimester and more than half of them (51.3%) were multigravida. The maximum number of drugs were prescribed in the second trimester 162 (37.67%) followed by third trimester 143 (33.26%). Supplemental drugs were the most widely used medications 297 (69.07%) and followed by 82 (19.1%) drugs from category B; 54 (12.6%) drugs from category C; and the rest 7 (1.6%) drugs from category D. There was no any drug from category X. Moreover, approximately one third of the pregnant women encountered with drugs from category B, C and D. However, there were no FDA category C and D drugs prescribed in first trimester.