KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS REGARDING ANTENATAL CARE AND DELIVERY AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
Keywords:
Antenatal care, Importance, Knowledge, Attitude, PracticesAbstract
Objectives: To assess the knowledge and awareness of pregnant women regarding antenatal care and delivery.
Material and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Antenatal clinic of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar,
from January 2013 to March 2013. The knowledge and awareness of pregnant women were obtained through face to
face interview and by filling a questionnaire. The questions were asked by three data collectors
Results: A total of 256 women attending antenatal clinic were interviewed using non probability sampling method. The
mean age of the sample was 25.15years with 4.45±SD. Two hundred and twelve (82.81%) women had the knowledge
of antenatal care and thought that it was important while 44 (17.81%) women had knowledge of antenatal care but they
thought it was not important. Two hundred and fifteen ( 83.98%) women had awareness regarding appropriate diet
and 207 (80.85%) had knowledge regarding iron and vitamin supplementation during pregnancy. Two hundred and
fifty (90.65%) women believed that getting antenatal care will improve the pregnancy outcome. 130(50.78%) women
had taken folic acid supplementation in first trimester. Two hundred and twenty (88.67%) women thought that they got
the expected antenatal care in hospital. Two hundred and ten (82.03%) women favoured hospital as a place of delivery
while 46 (17.96%) preferred to deliver at homes and private clinics. Two hundred and eight (81.25%) women wanted a
doctor to attend their labour. 0nly 116 (45.31%) women had antenatal care in their past pregnancies. The awareness
about antenatal care was highest is primigravida (86.95%), in younger women (18-35) (84.54%), in educated couples
(92.5%) with better socio-economic status (79%).
Conclusion: Knowledge about antenatal care and its importance was much higher in primigravidas, younger educated
women having educated husbands and better socio economic status. Majority thought that antenatal care was important,
took appropriate diet and iron, folic acid and vitamin supplement, and favoured hospital delivery by skilled personal
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