Risk Awareness about Tetracycline-Induced Tooth Discolouration among Pregnant Women attending the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital Antenatal Clinic in Nigeria

Background There are no existing data on the risk awareness of pregnant women regarding the use of tetracycline during pregnancy, particularly concerning tetracycline-induced tooth discolouration. The lack of data, coupled with prior research findings that revealed high self-medication habits among pregnant women in Nigeria, prompted this study. This study aimed to determine the risk awareness of pregnant women about tetracycline induced tooth discolouration, its use in pregnancy and self-mediation of tetracycline among pregnant women. Methods The study was a descriptive, cross sectional study that collected data from a convenience sample of pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Nigeria. The data were collected between 3rd June, 2024 and 26th July, 2024. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics (age, occupation, educational level and number of previous pregnancies), self-medication with tetracycline, and risk awareness of its use in pregnancy and awareness of tetracycline induced tooth discolouration. The data were entered into SPSS (Statistical Package and Software Solutions) Version 26 for Windows, and descriptive analysis and a chi-square test were used to determine the associations between the level of education and self-medication with respect to tetracycline. Results Among the 130 participants, 71.5% had no knowledge that tetracycline use during pregnancy induced tooth discolouration in the child. Additionally, 30 (23.1%) participants were totally unaware that tetracycline use was contraindicated during pregnancy. In addition, 13 (10.0%) participants reported self-medication with tetracycline and 71 (54.6%) reported self-medication during pregnancy. A chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association between the level of education and self-medication with tetracycline. Conclusions The poor awareness of tetracycline-induced tooth discolouration among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in UPTH raises public health concerns for an increased risk of the unprescribed use of tetracycline. Information sharing about tetracycline-induced discolouration during antenatal clinics may improve awareness, reduce self-medication with tetracycline and address public health concerns of tetracycline-induced tooth discolouration.