This study assessed the association of participation in pregnant mothers’ forums with birth preparedness and complication readiness plan among pregnant women in Dale District.
A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 604 pregnant women. A multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected door to door using a pretested and structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews.
About 22.5% of pregnant women were well prepared for birth. A quarter (25.8%) of the women was ready for the anticipated complications, of whom 20.7% were the forum members. Being pregnant mothers’ forum members, having focused counseling, monthly income, antenatal care, and institutional delivery during the last birth were significantly associated with birth preparedness. Similarly, being forum members and having antenatal care attendance before or at four months of gestational age were predictors of complication readiness.
In this study, birth preparedness and complication readiness are found to be low. However, it was significantly higher among forum members compared to forum nonmembers. Hence, Researchers should aim to strengthen the pregnant mothers’ forum and enroll the pregnant women in antenatal care service at an early stage of the pregnancy.
Reference: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jp/2019/1429038/
