Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Sep 14;16(9):e69390.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.69390. eCollection 2024 Sep.

The Perception of Contraceptive Practice Among Female Patients Treated With Isotretinoin in Saudi Arabia

Fatimah H Almarri  1 , Mahdi Al Dhafiri  2 , Reem A Albejais  3 , Mohammed A Albaqshi  4 , Waad D Alotaibi  5
Affiliations

The Perception of Contraceptive Practice Among Female Patients Treated With Isotretinoin in Saudi Arabia

Fatimah H Almarri et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background Practicing and following a Pregnancy Prevention Program (PPP) is crucial to prevent isotretinoin-induced teratogenicity. Our study aims to assess the current practice of dermatologists about PPP when prescribing oral isotretinoin and the compliance of the patients toward contraceptive methods. Methods The research used a cross-sectional design and utilized a probability sampling method in Saudi Arabia. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data that included female participants who were previously treated/being treated with isotretinoin for acne. Data was analyzed using SPSS (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York). Results Our study examined 359 female patients receiving isotretinoin treatment. Isotretinoin was primarily used for severe nodular forms of acne resistant to regular treatment 229 (63.8%). Regarding awareness, 326 (90.8%) were familiar with isotretinoin's teratogenic effects, and 112 (31.2%) were familiar with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority's Pregnancy Prevention Program. Physicians were among the most prevalent information sources 254 (71%). In terms of isotretinoin usage, 227 (63.2%) had one course. Regarding contraceptive practice, 167 (46.5%) were informed about the necessity of a negative pregnancy test before starting treatment, and 29 (50.9%) of those who received more than two courses had good awareness. Conclusion The study identified a notable awareness gap among the participants, as over two-thirds demonstrated a poor awareness level regarding isotretinoin. A significant proportion of participants were informed about the importance of contraceptive practices, including the necessity of a negative pregnancy test before, during, and after treatment.

Keywords: contraception; female; isotretinoin; perception; saudi arabia; teratogenicity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Deanship of Scientific Research of King Faisal University issued approval KFU-REC-2023-MAY-ETHICS828. The Research Ethics Committee of King Faisal University grants its ethical approval to the protocol. The researchers are held accountable for the storage, retention, and security of original data obtained from projects. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Source of information about isotretinoin among female patients
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Public understanding and awareness of isotretinoin use and safety in Al Ahsa, eastern Saudi Arabia. Younis NS, Al-Harbi NY. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2019;53:618–622. - PubMed
    1. Acne vulgaris. Aydemir EH. Turk Pediatri Ars. 2014;49:13–16. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Evaluation of compliance with isotretinoin PPP recommendations and exploration of reasons for non-compliance: Survey among French-speaking health care professionals and patients in Belgium. Lelubre M, Hamdani J, Senterre C, et al. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2018;27:668–673. - PubMed
    1. Awareness of isotretinoin use and Saudi FDA pregnancy prevention program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study among female patients. Ibrahim AA, Alshatri AA, Alsuwaidan S, et al. Saudi Pharm J. 2021;29:527–532. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dyslipidemia and impaired liver function biomarkers in patients with hepatitis B liver cirrhosis. Shoaib N, Khan Z, Ibrahim M, et al. J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2023;18:748–754. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources