The use of medications during breastfeeding
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.985Keywords:
BREAST FEEDING, INFORMATION SOURCES, MEDICATION THERAPY MANAGEMENT, HEALTH LITERACYAbstract
Aim: The purpose and aim of this study are to investigate the most common sources of information for breastfeeding mothers about the safety of medications during lactation, to find out which medications they most frequently take, and to test the association between their knowledge about the safety of medications during lactation and educational level and parity.
Methods: The study was conducted using an online questionnaire completed by 211 respondents, 189 of whom were included. The sampling was non-probabilistic and voluntary. The questionnaire was posted on social networks in groups dealing with breastfeeding, childbirth, and motherhood.
Results: The results show that the most common source of information for breastfeeding mothers about the safety of medications while breastfeeding is a doctor (38.62 %), followed by an independent search/internet (33.33 %). The most common drugs they use while breastfeeding are analgesics (89.41 %), vitamin-mineral complexes (53.97 %) and antibiotics (33.33 %). No statistically significant correlation was found between the knowledge of breastfeeding mothers about the safety of the use of medicines during breastfeeding and their level of education. The difference in knowledge between multiparous and primiparous mothers was also not significant in this study.
Conclusion: Physicians are the most common source of information and advice on medication safety during breastfeeding for breastfeeding mothers, and they are the most frequent users of analgesics. Parity was not found to be a significant factor in breastfeeding mothers' level of knowledge about medication safety during lactation, nor was breastfeeding mothers' level of education shown to play a role in their level of knowledge about medication safety during lactation. Improving health literacy to promote the value and safety of breastfeeding is a key public health priority where midwives with tertiary education need to find their place.
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