Abstract

HERNANDES, Taís Albano et al. Characteristics of medication use during lactation. J. Hum. Growth Dev. [online]. 2018, vol.28, n.2, pp. 113-119. ISSN 0104-1282.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.147215.

INTRODUCTION: The importance of breastfeeding is undisputed. It provides benefits to infants, nursing mothers, families, and society as a whole. The World Health Organization encourages a diet of exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age; however, this routine may be unfeasible for many reasons, one of which is the mother's use of medication. OBJECTIVE: To characterize medications used by nursing mothers in terms of risk categories, place of care and medical professionals responsible for the prescription, and the extent of medical advice received by the mothers. METHODS: This is a retrospective, quantitative, and cross-sectional study. The data were collected from Brazil's Family Health Strategies (ESF) program and included information on 161 nursing mothers from 2012 and 2013 and their use of medications while breastfeeding. The data were considered in absolute and relative frequencies and compared to the secondary variables in the study in order to determine whether any associations existed. The chi-square test was applied as part of the analysis. RESULTS: Of the nursing mothers interviewed, 55.9% reported taking medication. The most frequent groups of medications were those affecting the genito-urinary system and sex hormones, endocrine system, followed by systemic and cardiovascular medications. In the ESF program, general practitioners were the medical professionals who most frequently prescribed medication to these women, followed by gynecologists. Of the women who received prescriptions, 64.4% received some type of medical advice. The statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between risk category and medical specialty (p=0.03), as well as between risk category and place of care (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The most frequently used drug class was that of contraceptives. All medication classified as contraindicated was found to have been prescribed as part of primary care by general practitioners. Thus, these results reflect the need for more qualified professionals throughout Brazil's public health care network.

Keywords : breastfeeding; prescription medications; lactation; maternal-infant health; primary health care.

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