Attitudes towards Antidepressants and Supportive Psychological Therapies among Patients with Mild to Moderate Depression: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Knowledge of sexual and reproductive health during pregnancy is an important aspect which affects the physical and mental health of pregnant mothers and spouses. Sexual relationship is changed during pregnancy due to the psychological backwardness of couples and fear of having a negative impact on the baby. Therefore, it is important to assess the knowledge of sexual and reproductive health during the pregnancy period. Objectives: To assess sexual and reproductive health knowledge of pregnant women and spouses during antenatal period in Katana Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in nine antenatal clinics at Katana MOH area from May to July 2023. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The knowledge level was assessed with 11 questions and categorized the level of knowledge as: 0-3 poor, 4-7 moderate, and 8-10 good. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used to analyze data. Results: The study was conducted among 206 couples. The mean±SD age was 29.5±4.47 years. Majority were Sinhalese (89.1%). Approximately one fourth of the participants (25.5%) had formal education up to Ordinary Level and 44.9% of pregnant mothers were in their third trimester. According to the findings, 67.7% believed that engage in sexual activities during pregnancy is a safe practice and 87.6% thought sexual activities were beneficial in pregnancy. The majority of the mothers and spouses (63.1%) were unaware of the suitable trimester for vaginal intercourse. Out of all, 71.84% of couples had a moderate level of knowledge of sexual and reproductive health. The leading information source for the participants was public health midwives (88.6%). The knowledge level of the participants was not significantly associated (p>0.05) with any demographic characteristics of the participants. Conclusion: The knowledge of sexual and reproductive health among pregnant women and spouses was ‘moderate’. The study recommends strengthening sexual and reproductive health education during the initial visits to the MOH centers.