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Background@#Antenatal Care (ANC) is an essential mandatory preventive care service freely given to pregnant women by the Philippine government. Despite the available ANC services in the country, not all pregnant women still avail of the service. @*Objective@#The study determined the socio-demographic profile of mothers, their ANC services utilization, and the different problems encountered during their antenatal care. @*Methods@#A descriptive research design was used. Purposive sampling was employed to identify the population of the study: women of reproductive age, 18-45 years old, and who had a live birth for the last three years regardless of utilization, partial utilization, or non-utilization of ANC services. Mothers who were currently pregnant and had a history of abortion or stillbirth delivery were excluded from participation. Proportionate sampling was computed to get the sample size: 334 mothers from Iriga City and 392 from Tabaco City. The survey questionnaire was based on the ANC guidelines of the DOH. The statistical treatment used was frequency counting, percentage, and ranking in data analysis. @*Results@#The mothers in Iriga City and Tabaco City were ages 23-27 years old who had 1-3 children, were single but living with partners, and in a nuclear type of family with 4-6 members, were unemployed/housewives, and belonged to a low-income family with >P7,890 family income. In Iriga City, the majority were high school graduates, while in Tabaco City, most were graduates of vocational courses; and elementary and high school undergraduates. There were excellent assessments for history-taking, physical examination, and care provisions in both cities, except for oral health care examination, tests for syphilis, stool examination, acetic acid wash, safe sex education, and oral health checkups and prophylaxis. The identified problems were financial constraints, lack of support system, busy taking care of the kids, sickness, forgetfulness, unwanted pregnancy, drunkard husband, difficult first trimester, bad attitude of midwives, nurses, doctors, and unequal treatment of poor patients. @*Conclusions@#Mothers in both cities were young adults with a low education level who lived with their partners in a poor small nuclear family. Not all ANC services were excellently utilized. Among these were the poor utilization of the tests for syphilis, stool, acetic acid wash; oral health care examination; safe sex education; and oral health checkups and prophylaxis. There were various problems that mothers encountered when seeking ANC services, the most common of which were financial and personal issues.
Subject(s)
Prenatal CareABSTRACT
In Swaziland, the Ministry of Health adopted the prevention of mother-to-transmission (PMTCT) Option A as a feasible and less costly way to expand the PMTCT services nationwide. Despite major success since the programme started, some barriers, such as the challenge of follow-up care for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive pregnant mothers still exist. The present study aimed to describe the challenges that HIV-positive pregnant mothers encountered on taking antiretrovirals (ARVs) in a health unit of the Manzini region, Swaziland. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design was used, and data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and field notes. Purposive sampling was used to select the study site and the population. Permission was requested from the participants to record the interviews. The study population were HIV-positive pregnant mothers, aged between 18 and 40 years, which were enrolled in the PMTCT B+ programme. The PMTCT B+ programme was perceived as preventing the transfer of HIV transmission from mother to child. It boosts the mother's immune system, prevents opportunistic infections and prolongs life. Challenges of taking ARVs emerged as a theme. The participants displayed knowledge and understanding of the programme, yet discrimination and no support from families and partners were mentioned. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[5]: 41-49).
Subject(s)
HIV Long Terminal Repeat , Disease Transmission, Infectious , Foods for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers , Anti-Retroviral Agents , Financial Stress , Mobile Health UnitsABSTRACT
Background: The presently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has not spared any segment of society including pregnant women. It is absolutely essential that pregnant mothers and their caregivers be fully aware of accurate facts about COVID-19. Objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of preventive measures against COVID-19 infection among pregnant women of Mysore City.Methods: This was a cross sectional study, conducted among pregnant women attending prenatal care at a tertiary care centre. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire administered via google form to consenting pregnant women. The variables assessed were knowledge about aetiology, mode of spread and preventive measures to protect against COVID-19. Data was also collected on socio-demographic characteristics, which included age, parity, marital status, residence, occupation, participant’s education, husband’s education.Results: Out of the 93 responders, majority 71 (76.3%) were in the age group 20-30 years. 17 (18.3%) were in the 30-40 years age group. Regarding number of children 41 (44.1%) had one child 16 (17.2%) had 2 children and 32 (34.3%) were primigravida. With respect to educational status 70 (75.26%) were having graduate degree. 19 (20.4%) were non graduates, but had completed high school. Educational level of the husbands of the respondents was along similar lines with 62 (66.66%) having completed graduation, and 28 (30.1%) had completed high school. 91(97.8%) respondents were correct in identifying virus as the cause of COVID-19. 88 (94.6%) rightly chose mode of spread by sneezing or cough. 1 (0.1%) respondent wrongly indicated that injections were the mode of spread. Main symptoms cough and fever were correctly identified by 80 (86%) respondents. The practice of preventive medicine was low with respect to all aspects of COVID prevention. Only 27 (29.7%) were following frequent handwashing recommendation. Only 26 (28.6%) were following staying indoors advise. 28 (30.8%) of the respondents were wearing masks. However, 82 (90.1%) were following at least one of the preventive measures.Conclusions: The knowledge levels of pregnant women were satisfactory However this was not translated into practice by majority of the respondents.
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Background: Oral and dental diseases are one of the most common diseases and oral hygiene is one of the important branches of public health which is more important during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the effect of the educational intervention on oral health behaviours in pregnant mothers.Methods: In this intervention study, 170 pregnant women in the city of Ardabil were randomly selected and divided into two case and control groups (each of 85 people). The data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model of oral health care and then they were analysed using the SPSS version 19.Results: Demographic data in both case and control groups were approximately the same. The mean of health belief model variables increased significantly after intervention (P 0.05). Mothers also obtained the most information on the prevention of dental caries before intervention through television programs but after the intervention, they obtained the most information through the curriculum. In this study, before the intervention, 23.7% of mothers used dental floss once a day. After training, this amount reached 40.8% of mothers.Conclusions: Findings showed that educational intervention based on the health belief model can promote oral health behaviours. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct health education courses at the community level.
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Introduction: Personality of sero-positive and sero-negative pregnant mothers was defined after considering factors like Total productivity, locations, determinants and contents. Seropositive personality shows low productivity, increased reaction time, rejection of more plates, lower number of human responses, higher number of animal responses, colour shock, high F+%, shading and narrow content categories on Rorschach ink-blot test. This suggests depressive tendencies. Method: Rorschach test was administered to sero-positive pregnant women (n=50) and sero-negative pregnant women (n=50) in this study. Result : Sero-negative personality also shows less productivity, increased reaction time and response, less whole response, more detailed responses which suggest anxiety and some sero-negative mothers showing depression. Rejection of plates was less as compared to sero-positive pregnant mothers, the human responses are less, high F+%, shading responses are not seen, and colour shock is absent, popular responses are expectedly more.
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This study aimed to develop and examine the validity and reliability of a pregnancy symptoms questionnaire. A total of 214 pregnant women aged 19 to 40 years old were purposive randomly recruited from December 2009 to January 2010 in Antenatal Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Pregnant mothers at second and third trimesters were interviewed to complete the Pregnancy Symptoms Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ was developed by experts in nutrition, obstetrics and statistics. The PSQ consists of 38 items on frequency and severity of pregnancy symptoms. Factor analysis was done using Promax rotation method to check for construct validity. A total of 16 items which had poor correlation (<0.3) and less important content were removed during the final revise. The 22 remaining items were found to be loaded on the three components (general, constitutional and somatic pain). The overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.93 and for each three components ranges from 0.70–0.87. The results suggest that the final PSQ consisting of 22 items is valid and reliable for measuring the frequency and severity of the symptoms experienced during pregnancy. It can be used in nutritional studies related to pregnancy and its outcome.
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Data were collected from 78 teenage pregnant mothers (15-19 years) out of 1446 pregnant mothers who attended the primary health centers situated in the field practice area of the rural health center, Kengeri of Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, between May and July 2009 to study the factors associated with teenage pregnancies and awareness regarding family planning. This was a descriptive study. Out of 78 teenage pregnant mothers, 57 (73%) were Hindus and 45 (57.7%) belonged to joint families. 76 (97.4%) teenage pregnant mothers were housewives, i.e. 55 (70.5%) of the spouses of the teenage pregnant mothers were laborers, in majority, i.e. 40 (51.3%) teenage pregnant mothers' age at marriage and the age at first pregnancy were 18 years. The mean age at marriage increased significantly with an increase of the educational status of the teenage pregnant mothers (F value = 7.08%, P< 0.002). The mean age at first pregnancy was also increased with an increase of the education status of both the teenage pregnant mothers and their spouse. The most common reason for early marriage and early pregnancy was traditional practices and family pressure among 50 (64%) and 45 (57.7%) teenage pregnant mothers, respectively. 49 (63%) teenage pregnant mothers were not aware of any family planning methods.
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Objective To understand the effect of interventions to prevent HIV mother-to-child transmission(MTCT).Methods A survey was conducted to study preventive interventions adopted for young children delivered by HIV positive mothers including children's medication after birth,feeding practice,modes of delivery and ART for mothers.Chi-square tests was used to analyze the differences in infection rate between children in the intervention group and control group.Results The infection rate in the intervention group was 2.75%,while that in the control group was 50.00%.There was significant difference between these two groups.Conclusion Timely ART provided for mothers and their babies and using artificial feeding can effectively reduce HIV mother-to-child transmission.