Medical experts warn against self-medication during pregnancy

[Sunexx360]

Some medical experts have warned that self-medicating during pregnancy could cause serious complications to the expected baby.
Self-medication is the practice of consuming drugs not prescribed by a qualified medical expert. It is a common practice in the Nigerian society.
The experts told NAN in separate interviews that self-medication by pregnant women could cause serious side-effects, such as malformation in children or hindrance in normal growth of the baby.
Dr Akinyemi Olaleye, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said that pregnant women should always choose to see a doctor instead of arbitrarily purchasing drugs over the counter.
"Pregnant women should never indiscriminately purchase drugs. Although, ordinarily, self-medication should be about Over The Counter drugs (OTC). However, for a pregnant woman there may be more to just a headache.
"Some drugs which a pregnant woman has been taking prior to being pregnant can negatively have an effect on the health of mother and child if taken this time around.
"Simply put, multivitamin that is taken at this stage without prescription can be disastrous. We all know that no pregnantwoman completes her gestation withouta cold, cough, fever or any other minor ailments.
"But, whatever is the case, it is better for the pregnant woman to consult her doctor before proceeding to take any medications,'' Olaleye said.
Dr Olusola Togunde, a medical officer at the Ikorodu General Hospital, disclosed that so many pregnant women were involved in self-medication which has been resulting in many complications.
"It's a common belief that pregnant women can be helped with home-made remedies. But are we really sure about its composition, especially with regards to the peculiar nature of each pregnant woman?'' he asked, while stressing that drinking `grandma's concoctions is definitely not safe for a pregnant woman.
Dr Motunde Ajayi, another obstetrician and gynaecologist, said by self-medicating, a pregnant woman puts the foetus at risk.
"Defects in the development of the reproductive organs are common side-effects of self-medication by pregnant women ,'' he said.
Ajayi said genital diseases are also associated with self-medication in pregnancy. "Cases of urinary retention and other problems with the urethra have been linked with self-medicating in pregnancy,'' he said.
Another Lagos-based consultant paediatrician, Dr Sylvaline Nwizu, also said mothers should resist the urge to indiscriminately self-medicate for their children.
"Many mothers assume that a child has malaria, simply because of a fever. But a child can run a fever as a result of various conditions, such as bacterial or viral infection, even pneumonia,'' she said.
Nwizu advised mothers to maintain the standard of seeking an expert's advice regarding the health of their children.(NAN)