Poster Presentation Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society and Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia and New Zealand Joint Scientific Meeting 2021

Examining maternal attitudes towards medicines for treating severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy or hyperemesis gravidarum: an Australian consumer survey (#129)

Loyola Wills 1 , Jessica Hsiao 2 , Alicia E Thomas 2 , Caitlin Kay-Smith 3 , Amanda Henry 4 5 , Luke E Grzeskowiak 1 2 6 7
  1. Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  2. SA Pharmacy, Flinders Medical Centre, SA Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  3. Hyperemesis Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  4. University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  5. St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  6. South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  7. Adelaide Medical School, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Background: Few studies have examined critical factors involved in decision making regarding the treatment of severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) or hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

Methods: Online, national survey of Australian women who are currently or have previously experienced severe NVP or HG distributed through the HG consumer group, Hyperemesis Australia, between July and September 2020. We asked women about use of information sources and their perceived helpfulness, attitudes towards medicines use during pregnancy, as well as perceived safety of treatments to the mother and baby.

Results: A total of 326 responses were received. The most common information sources included GP’s (83%), Ob/Gyn (65%), midwives (56%), ED doctors (55%), internet (47%), social media (43%) and community pharmacists (42%). The mean number of information sources used was 6 (range 1-16). Information sources rated as being the most helpful included Specialist doctors (e.g. Obstetric Medicine), Ob/Gyn, social media and blogs, while the least helpful included community pharmacists, naturopaths, and family/friends. Positive attitudes towards taking medicines and getting better rather than exposing the fetus to untreated illness were more common among those who reported seeking information from social media (87% vs. 69%) or a specialist (87% vs. 73%). Notably, women were more likely to report choosing to refrain from using medicines for NVP just to be safe if they sought information from a community pharmacist (16% vs. 8%). Maternal attitudes towards medicines correlated with perceptions of safety. That is, women who reported attitudes towards avoiding or using less medicines than needed during pregnancy perceived treatments as being riskier.  

Conclusions: The study findings demonstrate that women use a variety of information sources to support decision making regarding the treatment of NVP/HG and that a clear relationship exists between attitudes towards medicines use in pregnancy, the perceived safety of medicines, and use of information sources.