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Background: Globally, unjustified medication use during pregnancy, a critical phase in human life, is a threat that compromises the safety of both, the mother and the child. We aim to investigate the prevalence of over-the-counter (OTC) or non-prescription and prescription medication use during pregnancy in women from the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the level of prior knowledge, and the sources of their information about medication hazard/safety.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered questionnaire for 287 pregnant women visiting King Saud Medical City (KSMC) – outpatient departments for routine antenatal care during 3 months (1st Mar– 31st May 2021). The questionnaire was developed by Navaro et al with 4 sections: socio-demographic data, medication use during pregnancy, level of knowledge, and relevant sources of information.Results: The participants had a mean age of 32.21 years ± 6.41 (SD), and gestational age of 23.67 weeks ± 8.47. About 76.66% of them reported using medication during their current pregnancy: predominantly prescribed (86.36%). Women who used medication during pregnancy were slightly older; the mean difference was 1.97 years (95% CI 0.23– 3.71) (P=0.027). Women living in an urban environment as compared with rural had a higher prevalence of medication use (79.01% vs 52%) (P=0.002). Overall, 58.19% reported using non-prescribed medications during pregnancy, with analgesics as the most frequently used class (70.30%). The mild nature of the illnesses and availability of an old prescription and information from pharmacists were the main reasons for self-medication. About 40.77% denied receiving any information about medication use during pregnancy.Conclusion: The prevalence of the medication use during pregnancy in our population is alarmingly high. Analgesics were the most frequently used. Lack of adequate information from treating physicians appears to be contributory to self-medication during this critical time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While patients' satisfaction is a barometer for healthcare quality, Myanmar did not do enough to assess the antenatal care (ANC) satisfaction. Objective: In this study, we aim to assess the satisfaction level of pregnant women with ANC services provided by a public hospital in Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 125 women in the quantitative and 27 in the qualitative study at South Okkalapa Women and Children Hospital in Myanmar. Satisfaction was measured by using a five-point Likert scale with 25-item services. Statistical software SPSS version 16 was used for quantitative data analysis. Qualitative data were manually analyzed by thematic analysis. Results: The proportion of pregnant women who were satisfied with healthcare services ranged from 18% to 35%. Provider's service yielded satisfaction ranging between 25% and 35%; meanwhile, facilities in the waiting area had the lowest mean score (2.78) for satisfaction. Laboratory service and waiting time at the antenatal clinic were major sources of dissatisfaction. Overall, 48% of the pregnant women were in high satisfaction with ANC services. Out of 25 items, cleanliness of ANC clinic, the process of ANC procedure, drug supply by the hospital, ventilation, and lighting in the waiting area, waiting time to see doctors, and working hours (availability of services) showed significant association with overall satisfaction. Conclusion: Nearly half of the pregnant women in the study were very satisfied with the total healthcare services they received. Facilities in the waiting area, laboratory service, and waiting time to see doctors were dissatisfied services and need to be upgraded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Enrollment to antenatal care (ANC) is still not universal in Ethiopia. This study examines whether household food insecurity affects antenatal care attendance or not, as well as other factors associated with antenatal care. As optimal antenatal care is vital for the improvement of maternal and child health, the study will contribute to the efforts in improving maternal and child health. Patients and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 707 pregnant women at or above 3 months of self-reported pregnancy in Southern Ethiopia. Multi-stage sampling was employed to obtain the study units. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent factors associated with study outcome. Results: Out of a total of 707 study subjects, the majority (71%) of the study women visited a health facility for ANC service. The odds of ANC use was lower for women who were not in marital union (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.16– 0.97), and those from food insecure households (AOR=0.50, 95% CI=0.32– 0.79). ANC attendance was higher for women from high socio-economic status (AOR=2.62, 95% CI=1.29– 5.29), with planned pregnancy (AOR=1.82, 95% CI=1.16– 2.85) and a perceived risk from danger signs (AOR=4.32, 95% CI=1.60– 11.67). Conclusion: While the overall ANC use was high, women experiencing food insecurity and those with unplanned pregnancy were having lower odds of ANC attendance among others. Interventions targeting at enhancing women's attendance to ANC service might be realized through commitment from the agriculture, economic, as well as health sectors by increasing productivity and providing special attention to women in the pre-pregnancy and pregnancy period. Moreover, educating women so that they can recognize that every pregnancy is risky and promotion of family planning to reduce unplanned pregnancy could improve attendance to the ANC service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antenatal care is a major contributor to the reduction of perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity, through the identification of high risk pregnancies and early intervention for pregnant women with complications. Inadequate (less than eight contacts) and late antenatal care (starting after 12 weeks) have implications for the health of mothers, fetuses, and newborns. The aim of this study was to assess proportion and determinants of inadequate and late antenatal care among Saudi mothers in Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 537 mothers who gave birth at King Saud Hospital, Unaizah City. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, antenatal care, and determinants that might affect the use of antenatal care. The data were entered into Excel and exported in STATA version 16. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the determinants of inadequate and late antenatal care. Results: The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 30.71 (5.73) years. The proportion of inadequate and late antenatal care was 34% (95% CI 30– 38) and 25% (95% CI 21– 29). Inadequate antenatal care was independently associated with employed mothers (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.13– 3.22) and high parity (three or more) (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.17– 4.16). Late antenatal care was independently associated with employed mothers (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.07– 3.27) and high parity (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.01– 4.16). Conclusion: This study found that the proportion of inadequate and late ANC was less than in other regions of Saudi Arabia, but it is still important to decrease this rate. The findings of this study will be useful for policy makers in Qassim region to help them design interventions to target mothers at high risk of inadequate and late ANC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acceptance of human immune virus testing is an entry point of intervention to end mother to child transmission of the virus among pregnant women. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 340 was conducted from May 20 to June 15, 2019. The data were collected by using systematic random sampling technique of interviewer administered questionnaire. Those candidate variables at bivariate analysis with a p-value <0.25 were moved to the multivariate analysis was considered as cutoff point.  Result: Among the total of 340 pregnant women who participated with a response rate of 96%, 234 (68.8%) accepted testing. The odds of acceptance of human immune virus testing was higher among respondents who had awareness about mother to child transmission (AOR=2.602, 95%; CI:1.408–4.809) than their counterparts. It was also higher among respondents who had perceived the benefit of testing (AOR=1.838, 95%; CI:1.089–3.104) than those who did not perceive the benefit of testing. Participants who were knowledgeable about the prevention of mother to child transmission were more likely to accept testing (AOR=1.715, 95%; CI:1.030–2.855) than their counterparts. Besides, the odds of acceptance of testing among pregnant women who attended two and above antenatal appointments were higher (AOR= 2.485, 95%; CI:1.462–4.224) than participants who attended only one appointment. Participants who had no formal education (AOR=0.393, 95%; CI:0.160–0.967) and had a primary level of education (AOR=0.357,95%; CI:0.152–0.842) were less likely to accept human immune virus testing than women who had a diploma and above level of educational status. Conclusion: Acceptance of human immune virus testing among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics was relatively low. Antenatal caregivers should place emphasis on reducing barriers to testing, like lack of awareness, knowledge, and educational background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]