The present
study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes of the pharmacists
on dispensing drugs to pregnant women.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in 150 community pharmacies randomly
selected in Curitiba (Brazil). A closed end questionnaire with 25
questions were used, including dispensing scenarios containing risk
types A, B, D or X and questions on pharmacist interaction with
pregnant women, physicians, and information sources availability.
Results: Pharmacists performed appropriately in 53% of the encounters.
Lower success were associated to prednison and captopril (24.8%
in both), end cases producing more doubts were captopril (31.7%)
and simvastatin (30.7%). Most of the pharmacists state have advised
drugs to pregnant women or contact to the physician to discuss about
a prescription related with this issue. A Majority (64.4%) did not
feel able to understand FDA risk classification and did not have
trustable information sources in pharmacy.
Conclusions: Pharmacists dispensing drugs in Curitiba are not able
to interpret information on the use of drugs in pregnant women,
and they don have reliable information sources on the use of dugs
in pregnancy. However, they advice and counsel drugs to pregnant
women and discuss with physicians therapeutic strategies.
