This study aimed to assess self-care practices for puerperal sepsis prevention and their determinants among postpartum women in Halaba Town, Central Ethiopia.

Self-care is the ability to maintain health, prevent disease, and manage illness with or without the support of healthcare personnel. Current evidence indicates a high burden of puerperal sepsis in East Africa, including Ethiopia. However, evidence on self-care practices for the prevention of puerperal sepsis and their determinants in the study setting remains limited.

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among postpartum women in Halaba Town from February 1 to March 30, 2025. Data were collected through face-to-face, interviewer-administered questionnaires. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify determinants of self-care practices; statistical significance was set at a p-value of less than 0.05.

In the present study, 413 study participants were interviewed, resulting in a response rate of 98.3%. The prevalence of good self-care practice was 43.8% (95% CI: 39.1%–48.5%). Women’s occupation (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.23–3.57), educational attainment (AOR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.46–7.93), antenatal care (ANC) contact (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.65–4.71), and women’s knowledge (AOR = 3.30; 95% CI: 2.32–10.42) were determinants of self-care practices for puerperal sepsis prevention.

The findings revealed that more than half of postpartum women had poor self-care practices for the prevention of puerperal sepsis. Hence, strengthening ANC contact, targeting women with low educational status and unemployed women, and improving women’s knowledge may help to enhance awareness and prevention of puerperal sepsis.