Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo
Login


Indonesian Journal on Health Science and Medicine

 Submit manuscript
Section Articles

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Use of Analgesic Medications among Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Basra City – Iraq

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): July:
DOI : https://doi.org/10.21070/ijhsm.v2i1.226
Published : Aug 23, 2025

Utoor Talib Jasim (1), Fatma Ali (2), Amira Nasser (3)

(1) Department of Basic Sciences University of Basrah, Iraq
(2) College of Nursing University of Basrah, Iraq
(3) College of Nursing University of Basrah, Iraq
Fulltext View | Download

Abstract:

Analgesics are widely used to relieve pain during pregnancy; however, their safety remains a concern due to potential maternal and fetal risks. In Basra, Iraq, pregnant women frequently use analgesics such as paracetamol and NSAIDs, yet limited data exist regarding their prevalence, types, and associated factors in this population. Despite global studies on medication safety, there is insufficient evidence on the patterns of analgesic use among Iraqi pregnant women and their knowledge regarding associated risks. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and influencing factors of analgesic use among pregnant women attending Maternal and Child Health units, and to assess the association between analgesic use and demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study of 200 pregnant women revealed that 60% reported using analgesics during pregnancy. Paracetamol was the most frequently used (46%), primarily for symptoms of the common cold (27%). While 41% of women believed analgesics were safe, 32% perceived potential risks, and 23% demonstrated limited awareness. The majority obtained information from drug leaflets (45%). No significant associations were found between analgesic use and demographic variables (p > 0.05). This study provides the first structured evaluation of analgesic use among pregnant women in Basra, highlighting gaps in knowledge and perceptions of drug safety. The findings underscore the need for targeted educational programs and strengthened counseling by healthcare providers to promote safe and rational analgesic use during pregnancy.


Highlights:



  1. 60% of pregnant women reported using analgesics during pregnancy.

  2. Paracetamol was the most frequently used analgesic, mainly for common cold symptoms.

  3. Knowledge about safe use of analgesics during pregnancy was generally poor, with drug leaflets being the main information source.

References

[1] S. A. Khalaf, S. E. Aly, and A. A. Ahmed, “Prevalence and attitude regarding non-prescribed medications among pregnant women attending maternal and child health care centers in Assiut city,” IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 1–11, 2018.

[2] S. Malhotra and S. Khanna, “Safety medications analgesic,” International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 208–212, 2016.

[3] M. Babb, G. Koren, and A. Einarson, “Treating pain during pregnancy,” Canadian Family Physician, vol. 56, pp. 25–27, 2010.

[4] P. Hurtado-Gonzalez and R. T. Mitchell, “Analgesic use in pregnancy and male reproduction development,” Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, Jun. 2017.

[5] R. A. Lehne, Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 8th ed., London: Saunders, 2009, pp. 261–304.

[6] J. C. Leek and H. Arif, “Pregnancy Medications,” in StatPearls [Internet], Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, Jan. 2025. [Updated Jul. 24, 2023]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507858/.

[7] A. Ericson and B. A. Källén, “Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in early pregnancy,” Reproductive Toxicology, vol. 15, pp. 371–375, 2001.

[8] M. Bloor and M. Paech, “Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy and the initiation of lactation,” Anesthesia & Analgesia, vol. 116, pp. 1063–1075, 2013.

[9] M. S. Jensen, C. Rebordosa, A. M. Thulstrup, G. Toft, H. T. Sørensen, J. P. Bonde, T. B. Henriksen, and J. Olsen, “Maternal use of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and acetylsalicylic acid during pregnancy and risk of cryptorchidism,” Epidemiology, vol. 21, pp. 779–785, 2010.

[10] D. V. Lind, K. M. Main, H. B. Kyhl, D. M. Kristensen, J. Toppari, H. R. Andersen, M. S. Andersen, N. E. Skakkebæk, and T. K. Jensen, “Maternal use of mild analgesics during pregnancy associated with reduced anogenital distance in sons: A cohort study of 1027 mother-child pairs,” Human Reproduction, vol. 32, pp. 223–231, 2016.

[11] K. Toda, “Is acetaminophen safe in pregnancy?” Scandinavian Journal of Pain, vol. 17, pp. 445–446, 2017.

[12] A. R. Scialli, R. Ang, J. Breitmeyer, and M. A. Royal, “A review of the literature on the effects of acetaminophen on pregnancy outcome,” Reproductive Toxicology, vol. 30, pp. 495–507, 2010.

[13] C. Rebordosa, M. Kogevinas, E. Horváth-Puhó, B. Nørgård, M. Morales, A. E. Czeizel, H. Vilstrup, H. T. Sørensen, and J. Olsen, “Acetaminophen use during pregnancy: Effects on risk for congenital abnormalities,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 198, no. 2, pp. 178.e1–178.e7, 2008.

[14] M. L. Feldkamp, R. E. Meyer, S. Krikov, and L. D. Botto, “Acetaminophen use in pregnancy and risk of birth defects: Findings from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study,” Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 115, pp. 109–115, 2010.

[15] M. J. AlSaeed and D. A. Elmaghraby, “Assessing the knowledge of analgesic drugs utilization during pregnancy among women in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, p. 7440, 2021.

[16] C. Kassaw and N. T. Wabe, “Pregnant women and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Knowledge, perception and drug consumption pattern during pregnancy in Ethiopia,” North American Journal of Medical Sciences, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 72–76, 2012.

[17] G. E. Harris, M. Wood, M. Eberhard-Gran, C. Lundqvist, and H. Nordeng, “Patterns and predictors of analgesic use in pregnancy: A longitudinal drug utilization study with special focus on women with migraine,” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol. 17, p. 224, 2017.

[18] L. Bremer, J. Goletzke, C. Wiessner, et al., “Paracetamol medication during pregnancy: Insights on intake frequencies, dosages and effects on hematopoietic stem cell populations in cord blood from a longitudinal perspective pregnancy cohort,” EBioMedicine, vol. 26, pp. 146–151, 2017.

[19] A. R. Abduelkarem and H. Mustafa, “Use of over-the-counter medication among pregnant women in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates,” Journal of Pregnancy, vol. 2017, Article ID 4503793, 2017.

[20] S. I. Sharif, A. Labiadh, M. A. Alantali, et al., “Knowledge, attitude and practice of medication use during pregnancy among multiparous women in the United Arab Emirates,” Austin Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, vol. 5, no. 2, p. 1073, 2018.

[21] G. BiBintsene-Mpika, J. B. Mouankié, G. Ndziessi, et al., “Self-medication practice among pregnant women in Brazzaville,” International Journal of Family & Community Medicine, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 137–140, 2018.

[22] N. M. Zaki and A. A. Albarraq, “Use, attitudes and knowledge of medications among pregnant women: A Saudi study,” Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. 22, pp. 419–428, 2013.

[23] B. Terzioglu Bebitoglu, S. Hidiroglu, R. Ayaz, A. Sarisaltik, and D. Koc, “Investigation of medication use patterns among pregnant women attending a tertiary referral hospital,” Istanbul Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 90–95, 2022, doi: 10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2022.980889