Assessments of Knowledge and Attitudes of Pregnant Women of Antenatal - and Post Ntenatal Care, Al- Seef Primary Health Care Center, in Basra City

Abstract

Background:Antenatal Care means care before birth and includes education, counseling, screening and treatment to monitor and to promote the well - being of the mother and fetus. Most previous studies done on knowledge and attitude of women toward ANC were community based done on general women of child bearing age. Until now little has been known about knowledge and attitude of women who are currently using ANC services Objective: to assess knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women concerning antenatal and postnatal care who attend in al- seef primary health care center in Basra cityMethodology: A descriptive analytic study carried on (100) pregnant women who attend primary health care centers in Basra  city in al- seef primary health care center, during the period from November 2014 to February2015  . The data were collected through interview and use questionnaire format. Validity and Reliability of the questionnaire were determined through panel of experts and pilot study, data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistical analysis.Results: The results revealed that (49%) of pregnant women their ages ranged between 15-24 years, (30%) were primary school education , (89%) from house wife . (72%) had 1-3 gravida, (60%) had 1-3 para, 26% had 1-2 abortion and 78%attended primary health care center 1-2 visits only. The result indicates that there is no significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristic and type of sample  of pregnant women concerning antenatal –postnatal care, while there is significant relationship between number of prenatal –postnatal care visits and (age, education, occupation, smoking husbands, number pregnancy ,number children and place of labor ) of the pregnant women.Recommendations: The study recommended an emphasis on health education for mothers' awareness of the importance of regular visits to primary health care center during pregnancy.

Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude