PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE

1.1 Introduction

Antenatal care (ANC) is an umbrella term used to describe the medical procedures and care that are carried out during pregnancy. It is the care a woman receives throughout the period of her pregnancy and is important in helping to ensure a healthy pregnancy state and safe childbirth (Magadi, Madise & Diamond, 2010). Pregnancy causes many physical and psychological changes in a woman. A nurse who works with pregnant women and their families must be familiar with these changes to provide anticipatory guidelines and this can be done by providing adequate pre-natal care. One of the ways to keep the expectant mother healthy and able to take self care is to give timely need based health education to the woman.

According to Osariemen (2011), most health reform efforts have been geared towards increasing availability of healthcare services, without commensurate increase in quality. Studies have shown that increased availability of service does not always translate to increased access to healthcare (Osariemen, 2011).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

An effective intervention against maternal mortality exists yet millions of pregnant women die of preventable complications due to lack of knowledge of current government intervention (Bhatia and Cleland, 2009). High maternal death in Nigeria is of utmost concern to public health (Ekele, Shehu, Ahmed & Fache, 2008). Knowledge and attitude towards Focus Antenatal Care (FANC) utilization by pregnant women are key to the usage of Antenatal Care facilities for the reduction of maternal and infant mortality (Munjanja, Lindmark & Nystrom, 2006).

Efforts have been made by the government and Non-Governmental Agencies to reduce maternal and infant mortality. These efforts according to Umeora, Sunday-Adeoye and Ugwu, (2008), have made little or no impact in Nigeria because of health ignorance of effective antenatal care services in Nigeria. In spite of the years of defeat in reducing maternal mortality, scientific knowledge about it continued up until now. Antenatal care is one of the basic components of maternal care on which the life of mothers and babies depend (Saseendran,Mary & William, 2004).

Nisar and White (2003) stated that antenatal care (ANC) is an important determinant of good maternal health. Lack of ante natal care is a risk factor for maternal mortality, and reduction of maternal mortality requires early detection of high risk pregnancies through proper ante natal care. Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the post partum period. It encompasses the health care dimensions of family planning, pre-conception, prenatal, and postnatal care in order to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality (WHO, 2005). Good maternal health can be promoted through proper maternal health education which invariably influences maternal health attitude. Positive health education and attitude is capable of influencing maternal morbidity and mortality among pregnant women, thus the need for the study.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Perceived Benefits of Health Education on Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care.

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1.3 Statement of the Problem

Investigation revealed that good health for mothers is an important public health concern. Death during childbirth is often the concluding event in a long story of pain and suffering. Millions more are left with permanent disability and damage which impact their ability to undertake social and economic responsibilities and share in the development of their communities.

The deaths, many of which may be preventable, impact women who are not only childbearing but are also often the mainstays within a family – as careers to the young and old, bread winners and educators of children (Scotland Malawi Partnership, 2010). Maternal morbidity and mortality constitute a serious health problem that requires systematic investigations and effective health education of pregnant women to forestall the increase of infant mortality.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study

This aim of the study is to examine the Perceived Benefits of Health Education on Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care. In achieving this aim, the following objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the impact of antenatal care during pregnancy and maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria hospitals;
2. To assess the factors affecting the effective health education of pregnant women towards antenatal care in the study area;
3. To examine the impact of health education on pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nigerian hospitals;
4. To examine the level of educational awareness of pregnant women towards antenatal care in the study area; and
5. To recommend ways of improving the benefits of health education on pregnant women in the area under review.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What is the level of educational awareness of pregnant women towards antenatal care in Nigeria?
• What is the impact of health education on pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nigerian hospitals?
• What are the factors affecting the effective health education of pregnant women towards antenatal care in Nigeria?
• What is the impact of antenatal care during pregnancy and maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria hospitals?
• What are the ways of improving the benefits of health education on pregnant women in Nigeria?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant impact of health education on pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nigerian hospitals.
• H1: There is significant impact of health education on pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nigerian hospitals.

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1.7 Significance of Study

The study would be of immense importance to the health sector in Nigeria as it would highlight the benefits of health education to pregnant women in attending antenatal care so as to reduce infant mortality in Nigeria. This study will also be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of this research is focused on the Perceived Benefits of Health Education on Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Nigeria using Warri Central Hospital in Delta State as a reference point.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Operational Definition of Terms

Physical Education:

Also called physical training (PT) or gym in less progressive settings, is a course in the curriculum which utilizes learning in the cognitive, affective and psycho motor domains in a play or movement exploration setting. It is the instruction in physical exercise and games, especially in schools.

Health Education:

It is any combination of learning experiences designed to help individuals and communities improve their health, by increasing their knowledge or influencing their attitudes.

Teacher:

A teacher (also called a school teacher) is a person who provides education for students

Student:

A student or pupil is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution.

Attitude:

The way one behaves towards somebody or something that shows how you think or feel.

Dystocia:

It implies any form of abnormalities in pregnancy or any deviation from normal during pregnancy.

Knowledge:

To have information about something because you have experience or because you have learned it or be told.

Macrosomia:

Large babies weighing more than 40kg at birth especially in diabetic mothers

Mortality:

The number of death in a particular situation or period of time

Perception:

To notice something in a particular way or hold a view about something

Placenta Previa:

This is a condition in which the placenta of a fetus lies where the presenting part of the fetus is supposed to come out (the cervical OS).