Awareness of health matters related to pregnancy: A cross-sectional study among women attending primary health care centers in Basra Awareness of health matters related to pregnancy
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Keywords
Health Education Needs, Prenancy, health awareness, , , prenatal care,, antenatal procedures, Basrah
Abstract
Background: Prenatal care is an effective health intervention for reducing the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality, the risk of which is significantly higher in Basra (or Iraq in general) due to ignorance compared to other regions who offer prenatal care. Aim: This study aimed to assess health awareness related to pregnancy among women visiting primary health care centers in Basra Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 100 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) attending three primary health care centers in Basra, selected by random sampling technique. Data analysis was performed utilize the statistical package for the social sciences SPSS program (V23). Chi-square test (c2) was used to detect associations between variables, with a significance value set at (p < 0.05). Results: Most women had no knowledge about food patterns that are generally considered effective in controlling or reducing nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy (66%). About 41% of participants supported exercise during pregnancy. Approximately 71% of women were aware of the reasons for blood examination during antenatal care, with 62% identifying its necessity for diagnosing anemia and 46% for diagnosing diabetes during antenatal care. The need for adequate daily rest (68%) and the harmful effects of smoking (56%) were positively associated with the level of education (p = 0.031). The awareness of the reasons for blood examination (71%) were positively associated with the level of education (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Many primary health care users lack information about the significance of antenatal procedures, such as blood examinations, although they are well-informed about the necessity of adequate nutrition and daily rest. There is a need to enhance health education through mass media and to explain the significance of the different process in antenatal care, thus allowing women to be more proactive about it.
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