title: Use, attitudes and knowledge of medications among pregnant women: A Saudi study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medication use during pregnancy is a major concern for most women. The aim of the present study was to assess medication use, knowledge and beliefs about medications among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  More than 760 pregnant women, attending the obstetric clinic, filled a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected about their sociodemographic background, medication use during pregnancy, medication/pregnancy risk awareness, sources of drug information and beliefs about medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most women had a positive attitude toward medications in general but they believed pregnant women should be more cautious regarding drug-use during pregnancy. A significant association was found between participants' education and occupation, and beliefs about medications. In this context, well educated women and those working in a health-related career demonstrated more correct beliefs about medications. Women with health-related occupations were more knowledgeable about the life saving effect of drugs on unborn children. Women indicated inadequate provision of drug-related information from physician and pharmacist; they rely on medication pamphlet to get such information. The most frequently used drugs were paracetamol and vitamins (13.2%). Most pregnant women (59.2%) were able to identify drugs to-be avoided in pregnancy that agreed roughly with FDA categories with 23 hits out of 32. They indicated that newborn anomalies (6.5%) were not attributed to drug-use during pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During pregnancy, women were more conservative and skeptic toward medication, health-care professionals should be aware of such attitudes when advising pregnant women to take medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Noha M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Albarraq
keywords: Beliefs about medication; Drug information; Pregnancy; Saudi Arabia; Women