Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Medication Use During Pregnancy: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Medication (prescription or nonprescription) use during pregnancy is associated with a risk of harm to maternal and fetal health. Pregnant women's knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward safe medication use can influence positive outcomes. The study aims to assess and explore the risk factors associated with KAP toward medication use during pregnancy.

An interview-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant women attending the obstetrics and gynecology department of a secondary care referral hospital. A predesigned, validated 24-item questionnaire was used to assess the KAP toward medication use among pregnant women. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the KAP levels of pregnant women.

A total of 300 pregnant women with a mean (SD) age of 24.6 (3.9) years have participated in this study. The study shows that the majority of pregnant women have good knowledge (75.33%), and a positive attitude (91.33%) toward safe medication use, but the rational practice is very low (35.00%). Factors, like advanced age, urban residence, higher education level, and healthcare job, were significantly positively associated with good knowledge and rational practice toward safe medication use during pregnancy with a P < 0.05.

The study concludes that pregnant women have good knowledge, and positive attitudes toward safe medication use; still there is a wide gap in transforming this knowledge and behavior into real practice. So, to address the gap identified in the practice of pregnant women, a hospital or community-based sensitization program can be conducted targeting young age, rural residents, illiterates, and non-healthcare professional groups on medication safety during pregnancy.