ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN REGARDING ANEMIA

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is accompanied by several physiological changes due to variation in hormonal activity in each trimester of the pregnancy. These changes are linked with the whole process of blood cells formation. Anemia, is a hematologic condition which results in decline of hemoglobin level below their normal range, is associated with pregnancy induced changes. It was seemed that lack of knowledge, malnutrition, poor parental care and low socioeconomic condition are contributing factors that leads serious health concern.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge among pregnant women regarding anemia.

Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive study conducted on pregnant women visiting primary health care units of tertiary care hospital in Lahore. The study participant were 164 pregnant women. A convenient sampling techniques were utilized.

 Results: The analysis was done using SPSS version 21. The parameters were illustrated through bar charts and frequency tables. Out of 164 subjects, majority of the participant were between the age of 25 to 30 years, while their literacy level respectively are; 40 % up to matric, 39 % uneducated and only 20 % of the subject had higher education level. majority of the subject had lower level of knowledge towards treatment adherence in anemia 79.3%. Out of 164 subjects 98 participants do not know about hemoglobin, 68.9% female were not sure that anemia during pregnancy can be prevented by birth spacing.

Conclusion: The study revealed that most of the pregnant women had poor level of knowledge regarding anemia. Findings of this study also revealed that younger age, lower educational status has associated with the worst level of knowledge. this study emphasized the needs of an educational program, the goal of which is to focus on antenatal care, maternal health and primary health care to mitigate the burden of anemia in pregnancy.