Medication and Alternative Supplement Usage during Pregnancy in Hispanic Women

Objective: In this paper, we describe prescription medication, over-the counter (OTC) medication, vitamin, and herbal remedy use during pregnancy by Hispanic women in Utah County. Methods: Self-identified Hispanic women (N = 138) in Utah County, Utah completed a questionnaire in a non-profit community health center. Questions addressed use of prescription and non-traditional medications as well as demographic factors and characteristics. Associations between variables were analyzed with Pearson chi-square tests of independence with Monte Carlo simulations. Results: Our results showed that 53% of patients surveyed used prescription medications, 27% used OTC medications, 79% used prenatal vitamins, and 60% used herbal remedies. Maternal age was associated with doctors discussing OTC medications at prenatal visits (p = .002). Women reporting one birth were most likely to use the Internet (p = .019); women with "elementary education" were unlikely to identify "doctor" as their primary information source (p = .022). Physicians did not always discuss OTC or alternative remedies with their patients. Conclusions: There remains a need for patient and provider education on the topic of traditional and alternative remedies. This education can foster trust and cooperativity between patient and physician and ensure high quality perinatal care among Hispanic women.