Pilot study of medication adherence in pregnancy

This study aims to assess medication adherence levels and identify the factors associated with it, among pregnant women in the city of Varna, Bulgaria. A pilot, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women at the Ambulatory Medical Centre for Specialised Care “Prof. Dr. Dimitar Stamatov”, Varna, Bulgaria. Medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). The study period was from 15 th July 2025 until 15 th October 2025. Overall, medication adherence was moderate, with a mean score of 5.92 (SD = 1.62), among the 50 pregnant women who participated in the study (mean age = 31.96; SD = 6.48). No significant associations were observed between adherence and age (r = 0.044, p = 0.760), educational level (t(48)= 0.445, p = 0.658), or trimester of pregnancy (t(48)= 0.901, p = 0.372). Adherence levels did not vary significantly across parity, although a slight, non-significant trend toward higher adherence was observed among multiparous women. Research on medication adherence during pregnancy is still limited, emphasizing the importance of further investigation to better understand adherence behaviours and their determinants in this vulnerable population.