Prevalence and predictors of analgesic use during early pregnancy in a Brazilian population

Although the use of analgesics is generally not recommended during pregnancy, several studies have reported a high prevalence of use among pregnant women. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of early pregnancy use of analgesics in a Brazilian population, as well as potential sociodemographic and lifestyle predictors.

Pregnant women up to 16 weeks of gestation (N = 275) were recruited in Curitiba, Brazil, and specifically asked about the use of paracetamol, dipyrone, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid, and diclofenac, including common brand names and indications.

The consumption of any analgesic up to the point of recruitment was reported by 61.5% of women, most commonly for the treatment of headaches. Paracetamol was the most used analgesic (55.3%), followed by dipyrone (13.5%) and ibuprofen (12%), and the use of more than one analgesic was reported by 18.5% of participants. The self-reported health status was a significant predictor. Women reporting fair/poor health were more likely to use any analgesic and paracetamol than those who reported good/excellent health status (OR = 3.05; 95% CI = 1.44-6.50). Among paracetamol users, women reporting the consumption of paracetamol and other analgesics ingested more paracetamol pills than those participants who reported the use of paracetamol-only. Similarly, the use of pharmaceuticals other than analgesics was also positively associated with the heavy use of paracetamol (OR = 3.70; 95% CI = 1.08-12.74).

Overall, the high prevalence of analgesic use during early pregnancy, particularly paracetamol and the combination of different analgesics, highlights the need for further research across different global regions and their potential implications for maternal and fetal health.