TY - JOUR AU - Yovwin, Edith O. AU - Enato, Ehijie AU - Aghahowa, Sylvester E. PY - 2022/10/07 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Medication use pattern among breastfeeding mothers in Benin City, Nigeria …… a multicenter sampling: https://doi.org/10.51412/psnnjp.2022.21 JF - The Nigerian Journal of Pharmacy JA - PSNNJP VL - 56 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - UR - https://psnnjp.org/index.php/home/article/view/282 SP - AB - <p><strong>Background</strong>: Due to the risk associated with the use of medications among breastfeeding mothers, the study evaluates the pattern of medication and safety in three health facilities in Benin City, Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Method</strong>: Structured questionnaires were distributed among consented breastfeeding mothers whose&nbsp;children were below twelve months old when visiting immunization clinics at the centers. Medication&nbsp;compatibility with breastfeeding was assessed using the World Health Organization and Lactation&nbsp;Risk Category classififications.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: Out of 634 breastfeeding women that participated in the study, the married respondents were&nbsp;609(96.1%), 604(95.3%) attended prenatal class and 206(32.4%) were between 28 and 32 years.&nbsp;Higher baby weight of 3.3-5 kg was recorded among 425(67.0%) respondents. Breastfeeding&nbsp;information was common among 580(96.0%) respondents and 557(92.2%) agreed that breastfeeding&nbsp;was useful. Participants 290(45.7%) and 269(42.4%) had secondary and tertiary education&nbsp;respectively. Medications were used during breastfeeding by (95.3%) respondents. Total of 52&nbsp;difffferent types were identifified and most of them (71.3%) were on medication compatible with&nbsp;breastfeeding. Analgesics 519(27.9%), antibiotics 274(14.7%), hematinic 433(23.3%) and anti-malarial drugs 235(12.6%) were commonly utilized. Respondents not counseled when taking&nbsp;medication during breastfeeding were 452(71.3%). Respondents that used medications requiring side&nbsp;effect monitoring were 3.6%. Healthcare givers prescribed medications for 60.2% and 39.85% self-medicated. The respondents that breastfed while on drugs were 575(95.5%) while 2% stopped&nbsp;breastfeeding because of drugs. Higher respondents 151(82.9%) claimed that nurses were the common&nbsp;healthcare givers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: The study revealed most medications used pattern and the compatibility pattern among&nbsp;breastfeeding mothers in the health facilities.</p> ER -