Assess knowledge, attitude, and practices related to surgical site infection prevention among post-caesarean section women in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Region

Background Surgical Site Infections (SSI) after caesarean birth remains an important cause of maternal prolonged recovery and the most common healthcare-acquired infections. Objectives To assess women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding evidence-based measures for preventing post-caesarean SSI in Al Madinah Al Munawwarah Region. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital between 5 January and 5 February 2025. A total of 395 women completed an online survey assessing participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward post-caesarean section infection prevention. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and KAP score. Association between infection status and categorical variables were tested using chi-square testes, while mean KAP scores were compared using independent sample t tests. Results Most participants were ages 30—39 years (55.9%), had bachelor-level education or higher (50.4%), and reported emergency caesarean birth (83.5%). Although overall knowledge and altitudes toward SSI were favorable, important knowledge gap remined, particularly regarding the role of chronic condition such as diabetes in increasing SSI risk. Women not reported SSI had significantly higher mean knowledge scores (40.97 vs 38.59, p —0.024) and attitude score (41.71 vs 39.32. p = 0.006) than those with a reported SSI. Practice score were also higher in the non-infected group, although the difference was not statistically significance ( p = 0.118). No statistically significant association was observed between hair-removal method or timing and reported SSI. Conclusion Strengthening discharge education, clarifying postoperative wound-care instructions, and improving structured follow-up may support better SSI prevention after caesarean birth. Clearer reporting of instrument validity and reproducible statistical procedures will strengthen the scientific value of this work.