Community Based Study of Awareness of Maternity Dangers Amongst Rural, Tribal Preconception and Pregnant Women

Abstract

Background: Every pregnant woman faces risk of complications which can cause severe illness or even death of mother and /or baby. Creating awareness about maternity dangers is crucial for safe birth, safe future of mother and baby. Although it remains unclear how awareness translates into appropriate actions, chances of better outcome are there. Objectives: Community based study was carried out to know about rural, tribal preconception and pregnant women’s awareness and perceptions of maternity dangers. Material and Methods: After approval of institute’s ethics committee, study was conducted in tribal communities of 100 villages of hilly forestry region, where mother child services were initiated after creating health facility in one village. Randomly minimum 20 and 10 preconception, pregnant women each, from every village, total 2400 preconception, 1040 pregnant women of 15 to 45 years age were interviewed by research assistant with help of pretested tool. Results: Of 2400 Preconception women interviewed, 801 (33.4%) were aware of labour events, 298 (37.2%) mucoid discharge, 291 (36.3%) little bleeding, 212 (26.5%) labour pains. When asked about source of information, 300 (37.5%) said doctors, 291 (36.3%) Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and 210 (26.2%) nurse. Of 2400 preconception women, 1015 (42.29%) did talk of some maternity dangers, 403 (39.7%) said swelling over face and feet, 271 (26.7%) giddiness, 184 (18.13%) excessive vomiting and 157 (15.47%) bleeding, leaking with some overlap. Of 1040 pregnant women, 910 (87.5%) were aware of labour events and 870 (83.7%) some maternity dangers, 474 (54.5%) preterm pains, 118 (13.5%) leaking, 97 (11.1%) epigastric pain, 73 (8.4%) headache, 67 (7.7%) vaginal bleeding and 41 (4.7%) loss of fetal movements with some overlap. Conclusion: Only one third preconception and little more pregnant women had some awareness of maternity dangers, but it was scatchy.