European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PREGNANT WOMEN’S KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF MEDICATION USE AT PRINCE ALI BIN AL-HUSSEIN MILITARY HOSPITAL (AL-KARAK CITY): A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Feras AL-Awaisheh*, Ayyed Alshamaseen, Mohammad AL Qaraleh, Ahmad Zureigat, Mohammad Al Quran

ABSTRACT

Background: Medication use during pregnancy is a critical concern in contemporary medical practice. Accurate knowledge of how pregnant women perceive and use drugs is necessary to ensure maternal and foetal health. Objective: This study aimed to assess the levels of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding medication use during pregnancy and to determine the association between socio-demographic factors and KAP outcomes among pregnant women attending the antenatal care clinic at Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein Military Hospital in Al-Karak, Jordan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 287 pregnant women using a validated 31-item KAP questionnaire, which was self-administered. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance, followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests, were used to examine the associations between KAP scores and participants’ socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics. Results: Most participants demonstrated low knowledge (70.0%) and poor practice levels (47.7%). Only 10.5% and 20.2% scored highly in knowledge and practice, respectively. Moderately favourable attitudes were observed in 46.3% of the respondents, whereas 30.3% held negative views. Education had a significant influence on knowledge (F = 28.64, p < 0.001) and attitude (F = 6.484, p = 0.011). Age and parity significantly affected the practice scores (F = 4.512, p = 0.012; F = 6.968, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas occupation had a significant impact on both knowledge and attitude scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Despite moderately positive attitudes, substantial knowledge gaps and inconsistent medication practices persist among pregnant women. Tailored educational interventions targeting low-education and multi-parous groups, along with enhanced antenatal counselling and pharmacist integration, are recommended to promote safe medication behaviours during pregnancy.

Keywords: Self-medication, pregnancy, KAP model, healthcare, Jordan.