Table 3.
Therapeutic classes used by the study pregnant womena during the study period
| Trimester of drug consumptiond | Delivery | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Second | Third | ||
| n = 610b | n = 630b | n = 251b | n = 400b | |
| Therapeutic class n (%)c | ||||
| Antimalarials | 384 (62.9) | 250 (39.7) | 68 (27.1) | 77 (19.3) |
| Analgesics/antipyretics | 278 (45.6) | 153 (24.3) | 44 (17.5) | 16 (4) |
| Traditional/herbal medicine | 149 (24.4) | 95 (15.1) | 22 (8.8) | 3 (0.8) |
| Antispasmodics | 147 (24.1) | 118 (18.7) | 49 (19.5) | 27 (6.8) |
| Antibiotics | 108 (17.7) | 223 (35.4) | 134 (53.4) | 33 (8.3) |
| Vitamins | 92 (15.1) | 69 (10.9) | 28 (11.2) | 5 (1.2) |
| Antiemetics | 75 (12.3) | 21 (3.3) | 6 (2.4) | 2 (0.5) |
| Antifungals | 42 (6.9) | 104 (16.5) | 52 (20.7) | 9 (2.3) |
| Antiparasitics | 40 (6.6) | 67 (10.6) | 17 (6.8) | 36 (9.0) |
| Tetanus vaccine | 37 (6.1) | 130 (20.6) | 11 (4.4) | 61 (15.3) |
| Antacids | 13 (2.1) | 11 (1.7) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Sedatives | 10 (1.6) | 2 (0.3) | 2 (0.8) | 3 (0.8) |
| Antihistaminics (H1) | 8 (1.3) | 8 (1.3) | 3(1.2) | 1 (0.3) |
| Mucolytics | 5 (0.8) | 14 (2.2) | 5 (2.0) | 0 (0) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory | 4 (0.7) | 7 (1.1) | 6 (2.4) | 2 (0.5) |
| Progesterones | 3 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Corticoids | 2 (0.3) | 2 (0.4) | 2 (0.8) | 0 (0) |
| Hemostatics | 2 (0.3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Antiulcer (proton pump inhibitors) | 2 (0.3) | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Mineral elements | 2 (0.3) | 3 (0.5) | 2 (0.8) | 1 (0.3) |
| Antiretrovirals | 1 (0.2) | 4 (0.6) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.3) |
| Contact laxatives | 1 (0.2) | 3 (0.5) | 2 (0.8) | 0 (0) |
| Antihypertensives | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.3) |
| Diuretics | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
| Antihistaminics (H2) | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Anxiolytics | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Nasal preparation combinations | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Nutraceutical agents | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Venotonic | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.2) | 3 (1.2) | 0 (0) |
| Decongestants | 0 (0) | 3 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Local antiseptics | 0 (0) | 4 (0.6) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
| Antidiarrheals | 0 (0) | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
| Local anesthetics | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
| Neuroprotective agents | 0 (0)) | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Tetanus serum | 0 (0) | 1 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Electrolytes | 0 (0) | 2 (0.3) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
| Concentrated red blood cells | 0 (0) | 1 (0.2) | 2 (0.8) | 0 (0) |
aIn whom the date of drug intake and the date of last period of menstruation was known
bNumber of pregnant women. The number of women in each period is not mutually exclusive
cPregnant women could have many episodes of disease and could have more than one episode of drug exposure
dExcluding sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy and ferrous sulphate + folic acid for anaemia prevention