SM Kodliwadmath

Rational drug use in pregnancy requires the benefits and potential risk associated with the use of the drug. The adverse effect of drugs on the fetus varies temporarily with time. The study was conducted in the Navodaya Medical College Hospital & Research Center, Raichur for the period of six months. The case files of patients who were admitted in department of OBG were reviewed. The main objective of study was to assess the medicines prescribed to pregnant women during antenatal care, childbirth and lactation at a teaching care hospital. The total numbers of the patients enrolled in the study were 412 out of that 52.45% were in the range of 21-25 years, 71.31% patients were admitted third trimesters of pregnancy, 51.21% were multi- gravida. Common complaints of patients showed that anemia 23.8% and pregnancy induced hypertension (17.8%). Antibiotics (26.10%) were the most prescribed. In category A the maximum number of drugs prescribed in first trimester (41.83%).The study shows considerable medication use during pregnancy, child birth and lactation. Our study suggested that medicine use during pregnancy and lactation should be monitored regularly by analyzing prescription data.