Assessing the Knowledge of Analgesic Drugs Utilization during Pregnancy among Women in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Main Authors: Maryam Jamal AlSaeed, Dalia Ahmed Elmaghraby
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: analgesics; pregnancy; safety; effectiveness; knowledge; Saudi Arabia
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/14/7440

Background: Pain is a common compensation mechanism in pregnant women that they may face during gestation due to physiological changes. Paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most administered analgesic drugs worldwide. Therefore, safety and efficacy are important measures for the use of analgesics during pregnancy. Objective: Assess the knowledge of analgesic drug utilization among Saudi pregnant women. Method: We conducted a self-administered survey with an electronic questionnaire via Google Drive among a sample of 406 Saudi women. Results: About half of the respondents took analgesics during the first trimester, and 52.5% of women have used analgesics at least once without any medical advice during their gestation. Most participants agreed that paracetamol is the safest and effective analgesic drug during pregnancy, yet 61.8% of women are not aware that analgesics could be detrimental to the fetus if inappropriately administered in the third trimester. Conclusion: Participants have a good perception of the safest and most effective analgesic drug during pregnancy, but they have poor knowledge about analgesics’ side effects.