BACKGROUND: Self-care during pregnancy is a crucial topic to be discussed due to its effects on both the mother and fetus. In Sri Lanka, specifically regarding self-care with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, usage among the pregnant population is scarce.
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on self-care with OTC medicine usage among pregnant women attending maternity clinics in the Colombo Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas, Sri Lanka.
METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 pregnant women enrolled through simple random sampling using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were collected on knowledge, attitudes, practices, and sociodemographic characteristics. SPSS version 27 was used for descriptive statistical analysis.
RESULTS: There were satisfactory levels of KAP on self-care with OTC medicines identified among participants. The Mean ± SD for knowledge was 4.38 ± 0.873, and for attitude and practice, 27.56 ± 3.752 and 20.35 ± 4.235, respectively. Significant positive linear correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.375, p
* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.