The Study of Knowledge and Practice of Pregnant Women about Preterm Labor Symptoms referring to Health Centers or Private Clinics in Astara, 1997.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: During the past decade prevention of preterm birth has been a major focus of perinatal nurses and other health care providers. Approximately 75% of all perinatal mortality is attributable to preterm birth. Effort to prevent preterm birth, have been reported in nursing and medical literature. Although a major part of most of these programs is patient education. The assessment of basic patient knowledge and practice to ensure that educational strategies are targeted correctly is rarely addressed. So researcher has considered a study with the title of surveying knowledge and practice of pregnant women to preterm labor symptoms who call on the health care center or private clinics in Astara very essential. Method & Materials: This was a descriptive study using a samples. Subjects were recruited from two private practice of obstetricians and midwives and four health centers. 176 health pregnant women who were between 21-37 weeks gestation were asked to answer a 20 item demographic information sheet, 14 item knowledge and 9 item practice questionnaire while waiting for prenatal visit. Results: Outcome consequence form the survey with the use of descriptive and presumption statistics mentioned in 54 tables show that 59.5% of pregnant women didn’t know that having contractions (4-5 per hour) for the past 2 hours was one symptom of preterm labor. Only 30% of samples knew that lower abdominal cramping that feels like gas pain was one of preterm labor symptoms. Finding of survey shown that 30.2% of samples didn’t knew that watery mucous like vaginal discharge was one of preterm labor symptoms with regard to practice of samples about best response to questions about contractions of uterus abdominal cramping, menstrual like craning and change in to items that identified obvious symptoms of being preterm labor. Discussion: With regard to the main aim of the survey “determination of knowledge and practice of pregnant women to preterm labor symptoms” (46.6%) of pregnant women had middle practice (52%) weak knowledge and (1.1%) high knowledge. (50.6%) had middle practice (46.6%) weak practice and (2.8%) good practice in all. Knowledge and practice of pregnant women were lower them desired limit. This study supports the need for all pregnant women to receive information on identification of preterm labor symptoms and appropriate actions to take with regard to these symptoms.