Assessment of pregnant women's knowledge about placenta previa in Kirkuk Governorate Hospitals

الملخص EN

Objective : to Assess Pregnant Women's Knowledge about Placenta Previa in Kirkuk Governorate Hospitals.

Methodology : A descriptive analytic study was used to assess the pregnant women's knowledge about placenta previa in kirkuk governorate hospitals from February 2012 to May 2012.

A purposive sample consist of (62) pregnant women with placenta previa in four hospital (Azady, Kirkuk, Al-Hawiga, and Dakuk).

The data was collected by using interview technique, patient chart, and constructed questionnaire, which consist of three parts.

Part one : consist of demographic information Part two : consist of reproductive information Part three : consist of question regarding pregnant women knowledge about placenta previa, it comprise of four domains which are : Domain I : general information concerning placenta previa.

Domain II: causes and predisposing factors.

Domain III : signs and symptoms, domain IV: diagnostic methods.

Reliability of the questionnaire is determined through the pilot study and the validity through a panel of (19) experts.

Descriptive statistical analysis procedures and inferential statistical analysis procedures were employed for data analysis, all the statistic procedures were tested at P≤ 0.05.

Results : the result revealed that the majority of the study sample 90.46% has good knowledge concerning placenta previa, it could be concluded that from previous history with PP, or from prenatal visited to the primary health care center or private clinic.

The assessment of knowledge is not affected by demographic characteristic and reproductive history factors that mean that the studied questionnaire can be amend for all individuals of the studied population.

Recommendations: The study recommended to increase pregnant women awareness through mass media about pregnancy complications particularly ante partum bleeding, (placenta previa) as one of these complications, importance of frequent prenatal care visits early in pregnancy, and encouraged pregnant women to attempt deliveries at hospital for the availability of specialty medical and nursing staff, as well as the availability of necessary equipment's for cesarean section.