Community pharmacist counseling in early pregnancy—Results from the SafeStart feasibility study

Abstract

Background Community pharmacists are available to counsel women in early pregnancy, but no studies have assessed the feasibility of such a service. Objective To test the feasibility of a pharmacist consultation in early pregnancy and to inform the design of a definitive trial. Setting Six community pharmacies in Norway from Oct. to Dec. 2017. Method We evaluated recruitment approaches and an automatic data preprocessing system (ADPS) to enroll, assign participants, and distribute questionnaires. Women (≥18 years) in early pregnancy were eligible for inclusion. Participants were assigned to a pharmacist consultation (intervention group) or standard care (control group). The intervention aimed to address each woman’s concerns and needs regarding medications and ailments in pregnancy, and was documented on a standard form. The women’s acceptability of the intervention was measured by a questionnaire. Main outcome measures Appropriate recruitment approaches, workflow of the ADPS, and women’s acceptability of the intervention. Results Of the 35 participants recruited, 19 were recruited through Facebook. The ADPS worked well. Treatment of nausea and vomiting (NVP) (10/11) and general information about medications (8/11) were frequently discussed during the consultations (n = 11). The women reported high satisfaction with the consultation. Having the option of telephone and follow-up consultations was important to the women. Conclusion It is feasible to provide community pharmacist consultations in early pregnancy. In a definitive study, the consultations should focus on NVP and general medication use and further explore social media as a recruiting tool. Both in-pharmacy and telephone consultations should be offered to deliver the intervention.