Assessment of knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards antenatal ultrasound in University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital at antenatal care clinic, Northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric ultrasound is one of the most important advances in antenatal tests. Despite the importance of knowing the knowledge status of ultrasound and the category of attitude, there is no similar study done in Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to assess knowledge and attitude and associated factors toward ultrasound examination at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia from May 15, 2022, to Jun 30, 2022. Data was collected and transferred from the Open data Kit server and analyzed using STATA version 14. The strength of the association, presented using an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and p-value ≤0.05, is considered to declare statistically significant variables. RESULTS: A total of 422 pregnant women participated, with a response rate of 100%. Of the total pregnant women, only 39% of them are knowledgeable about obstetric ultrasound whereas 52% of them have a favorable attitude. Being a housewife, government employee, and private employee (AOR = 17, 95% CI = 2.12, 151), (AOR = 10, 95% CI = 1.2, 85) and (AOR = (13, 95% CI = 1.5, 115), respectively were associated positively with knowledge about ultrasound. However, residing in a rural (AOR = 0.07; 95%CI = 0.02, 0.21), never been pregnant before (AOR = 0.59 95% CI = 0.38, 0.94), and having information (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1, 2.9) were negatively associated with knowledge about ultrasound. Whereas, attaining primary education (AOR = 2.61; 95%CI = 1.1, 6.4) was positively associated with favorable attitudes while living in rural areas was negatively associated with a favorable attitude (AOR = 0.42; 95%CI = 0.18, 0.97). CONCLUSION: In this study, knowledge and attitude about ultrasound among pregnant women in Gondar City are low. Residence, occupation, being pregnant before, and having information were significantly associated factors of knowledge. While residence and educational status of the respondents were significant factors of attitude. Therefore, health information about obstetric ultrasound shall be given to women who live in rural areas, women who are students, merchants and farmers, illiterate, and primigravida.

Dietary Supplements Intake During Pregnancy Among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia.

Introduction: Pregnant women are expected to take one or more dietary supplements (DS) like iron, folic acid, zinc, calcium, magnesium, prenatal vitamins, etc. for maternal and child health during pregnancy. Despite its growing use in Ethiopia, data concerning currently marketed maternal DS products have not been intensively investigated so far. Taking into consideration the existing problem, this study was set out to assess the prevalence and commonly used DS during pregnancy in a referral hospital in Ethiopia. Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study was employed to conduct this study from November 2020 to January 2021. The sample size was obtained by using the single population proportion formula and participants were selected and approached by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected through a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to describe continuous and categorical variables and multivariate logistic regression was used to observe the association of the independent variables to the dependent variable. Results: The overall prevalence of DS use was 84.2% and the most used product was Fefol (iron and folate supplement) (62.4%). A majority (87.8%) of DS products were obtained by prescription. In multivariate regression analysis, DS use during pregnancy was significant among nulliparous women and women who went to college and above [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 8.142, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.298-51.070)] and [AOR: 9.259, 95% CI (1.998-42.906)], respectively. Conclusion: Even though the prevalence of DS practice showed improvement among the study participants, the duration of the DS intake is less than that recommended by the WHO. Pregnant women who did not have birth before and who went to college or above showed significant association with the use of DS.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression among Pregnant Mothers Who Had Intimate Partner Violence during Pregnancy Attending Antenatal Care at Gondar University Hospital Northwest Ethiopia in 2020.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal depression is the major obstetric problem that led to significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in the third world. However, in Ethiopia this prevalence and association were not studied, as result, this study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression among pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Methodology. An institution-based cross-sectional study was done among 409 pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy from May to July 2019 at Gondar University Hospital. All pregnant mothers who came for ANC follow-up during the study period approached for screening of intimate partner violence during pregnancy using standard and validated screening method and instrument of the WHO multicountry study on women's health and domestic violence to evaluate intimate partner violence, and we use EPDS for the evaluation of antenatal depression validated in Ethiopia with a cut point of 13. RESULT: Prevalence of depression among pregnant mothers who had any form of intimate partner violence during pregnancy was 35%: physical abuse (AOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.19, 3.30), more than one type of abuse (AOR = 10.18; 95% CI: 7.10, 16.18), poor social support (AOR = 5.81; 95% CI: 1.12, 13.12), and pregnant mothers whose partner drunk for the past twelve months (AOR = 7.16; 95% CI: 183, 8.00) were significantly associated with antenatal depression. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of antenatal depression among pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy was highly associated with physical abuse, more than one type of abuse, lack of social support, and partner of pregnant mothers who is a drunk. Hence, this is important to create a screening program and prevention strategy of intimate partner violence during pregnancy at the time of antenatal follow-up to prevent and early identify its morbidity and mortality.