INTRODUCTION:

‘Pregnancy is special, let make it as safe’- (WHO Theme 1998)

Minor disorders of pregnancy may cause anxiety and reduce the quality of lie of antenatal mothers. Certainly pregnant women those with psychosocial problems and heavy physical work were more likely to a higher number o minor disorders of Pregnancy. In India, women of the Child bearing age (15-45 years) constitute 19% and children under 15 years of age about 40% the total population of about 1.27 billion in the current year of 2014.

In recent years maternal and child health (MCH) services in India have been integrated into the basic health services with increased emphasis on risk approach in order to improve the maternal and child health. Every year around 27 million pregnancies take place in the country.¹

WHO finds that the risk of death from pregnancy or child birth related causes is 1in 20 in developing countries compared to 1in 10,000 in developed countries. The ratio of mortality and morbidity is 1:15. According to report o registrar general of India sample registration system (2007-2009) , India has a MMR of 212 per 1,00,000 live births. A report of voluntary Health Association of India 2001 showed that India contributes to 18% of total births globally and 20% of total maternal deaths.² The majority of discomforts experienced during pregnancy can be related to either hormonal changes or the physical changes related to the growing uterus. Professionals involved in the care of antenatal mothers have a role to offer advice and reassurance regarding the nature of these symptoms.³ People have taken pleasure in using traditional beliefs and practices for a long time manage the minor disorders during pregnancy. Beliefs specific to pregnancy lead to specific practices to treat the minor discomforts of pregnancy, some practices are safe where as others may be unsafe or harm to the mothers and fetus these practices are linked to environment, culture and the information from faith healers and elders. The healthy mother brings forth the healthy child. So many of the minor disorders can be controlled and prevented using existing knowledge and affordable tools to the Primi gravid mothers.⁴ A study was conducted among the antenatal mothers to assess nursing services regarding the minor disorders of pregnancy in primary health centre at periyanaickenpalayam, Coimbatore district. This study has recalled that 60% of antenatal mothers had common discomforts such as, nausea -47%, vomiting-87%, fatigue-70%, giddiness 89%, heartburn 55%, back pain 24%.so the study concluded that to make the mother as alert as possible to any complication and referral is important for that she must always educate when the changes of pregnancy are understood and it is easier to tolerate and avoid unnecessary anxiety.⁵ A study was conducted about path physiology of sodium and water retention in edematous disorders with a particular focus on pregnancy with arterial under filling, either due to a decrease in cardiac output , venous insufficiency or nervous system activity and baro receptor – mediated , non osmotic arginine vasopressin (AVP) release is attenuated. The resultant increase in renal adrenergic activity stimulates the rennin angiotensin aldosterone system.⁶ A longitudinal prospective comparative study was conducted to estimate the efficacy of different therapeutic modalities on vaginal discharge during pregnancy among 468 antenatal mothers in Assiut university hospital, Egypt. There was significantly an improvement of the outcomes for oral metronidazole and clindamycin compared with outcomes for intravaginal metronidazole and clindamycin. ⁷

Statement of the problem: “A study to assess the knowledge and practice regarding minor disorders of pregnancy and the incidence among the antenatal mothers who attending OPD at selected hospital, Kolar, Karnataka.

Objectives of the study:

· To assess the existing level of knowledge of antenatal mothers regarding minor disorders of pregnancy.

· To assess the practice of antenatal mothers regarding the minor disorders of pregnancy.

· To find the association between the level of knowledge and practice of the minor disorders of pregnancy with their demographic variables.

· To determine the relationship between the knowledge and practice regarding minor disorders of pregnancy

· To find the incidence in terms of relative frequency of minor disorders of pregnancy.

Assumption:

1. All antenatal mothers will experience one or more minor disorders during the period of Pregnancy.

2. All antenatal mothers will have some superstitious beliefs regarding minor disorders of Pregnancy.

3. All antenatal mothers would be willing to participate in the study.

4. Primi and multi gravid mothers differ in their knowledge related to minor disorders of Pregnancy.

Hypothesis:

H1: There will be a significant association between the level of knowledge scores and practices scores with their demographic variables.

H2: There will be a correlation between the knowledge and practice scores of antenatal mothers regarding minor disorders of pregnancy.

Variables:

Dependent variables: Knowledge and Practice of antenatal mothers on minor disorders of Pregnancy.

Extraneous variables:

Socio demographic variables shut as age, religion, educational status, occupation, family, income, type of family, area of residence, source of information, weeks of gestation and health facilities near to the area.

Conceptual framework:

The conceptual framework chosen for this study was derived from “Health Promotional Model” (Nelson J. Pender 1996) was designed to be a “complementary counterpart to models of health protection.”

Methodology:

Research Approach:

A descriptive survey research approach was considered as the best way to assess the Knowledge and Practice of antenatal mothers on minor disorders of Pregnancy.

Research Design:

The descriptive cross sectional design is to obtain estimates of magnitude of minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal mothers.

Setting of the study:

This study was conducted in the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynecology department in Sri Narasimma Raja Hospital, Kolar on the basis of geographical proximity, feasibility and availability of the samples.

Population: The population for the present study was all antenatal mothers.

Sample and it size: The samples were 100 antenatal mothers attending antenatal OPD in Sri Narasimma Raja Hospital at Kolar.

Sampling Technique: Non probability purposive sampling.

Criteria for selection of sample:

Inclusion criteria:

All antenatal mothers those who are:

a. Primi and multi gravid mothers attending antenatal OPD in SNR Hospital , Kolar.

b. Below 36 weeks of gestation.

c. Willing to participate in the study.

d. Able to communicate in Kannada and English.

Exclusion criteria:

a. Who came with labor pain during data collection.

b. Antenatal mothers who were having complicated pregnancy.

c. Who were admitted in antenatal ward in SNR Hospital, Kolar.

d. Who were having mental disorder during pregnancy .

Description of the tool:

The structured interview schedule consists of four sections as follows:

Section I: includes items related to the demographic variables of the participants.

Section II: consists of 32 items related to knowledge on minor disorders of pregnancy.

Section III: consists of 20 items to assess the practice regarding minor disorders of pregnancy among participants.

Section IV: consists of checklist for assessing the incidence in terms of relative frequency of minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal pregnancy. It is interpreted in terms of experience of minor disorders by antenatal mothers. (i.e present / absent ) .

Content validity:

The prepared tool along with objectives , hypothesis, operational definitions, blue prints and criteria scale was submitted to 10 experts compromising of 7 nurse educators in the field of obstetrics and gynecology of nursing , 2 doctors and 1 biostatisticians a establishment of the content validity.

Method of data collection:

Permission from the concerned authority was taken, of selected setting. Time for the data collection was from 9.00a.m to 1.00 p.m. Obtain consent from participants. Introduced the unit chief personally before the study. Explained the purpose of study. Privacy and subject comfort was provided. Total sample of the main study of 100 Antenatal mothers by administering structured interview schedule.

Major findings:

The results were computed using descriptive and inferential statistics based on the Following objectives of the study:

The findings of the sample based on their demographic variables:

Majority of the antenatal mother i.e 58% were belonged to the age group 21-25 years. 67% o the antenatal mother was Hindu. 33% were illiterate. 55% of antenatal mother were house wives. 44% had monthly income up to Rs. 2000. 73% antenatal mothers were belonged to nuclear family. 70% of them rural areas. 50% of the antenatal mothers received information about minor disorders of pregnancy by relative and friends. 44% were in the gestational age of 21-30 weeks. 60% of the antenatal mothers were primi gravida. Respondents of 44% were seeking health facilities in district hospital.

Findings related to level of knowledge of antenatal mothers regarding minor disorders of pregnancy:

Overall mean knowledge obtained by the antenatal mother was 12.32 and median scoring 12.With the standard deviation of 3.55 and the mean % 38.50. so this indicates that antenatal mothers had more than median knowledge on minor disorders of pregnancy .

Findings related to Practice of antenatal mothers regarding minor disorders of pregnancy:

65% of the subjects had inadequate practices and 12% had adequate practices regarding minor disorders of pregnancy.

Association of the knowledge level with demographic variables:

There is significant association between the demographic variables such as occupation x²= 8.901(‘P’ value 0.031), and its income x²=9.474 (‘P’ value 0.024) and with the level of knowledge of the participants.

Association between the practice score with demographic variables:

There is no significant association between the practice score with demographic variables.

Relationship between the knowledge and practice scores of the minor disorder of pregnancy:

There is high correlation between the knowledge scores and practice scores of the antenatal mothers regarding the minor disorder of pregnancy measured by Pearson correlation was ‘r’=0.332, (P less than 0.01) . It was highly correlated between the knowledge and practice scores.

RECOMMENDATION:

Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations are made:

1. A similar study can be conducted by analyzing the various aspects of minor disorders of pregnancy on a large sample for making more valid generalization.

2. A comparative study can be conducted between primi gravida and multigravida mothers.

3. A comparative study can be done between nullipara and primigravida mothers.

4. A comparative study can be done between rural and urban area antenatal mothers.

5. The same study can be replicated on antenatal mothers by taking specific aspects of minor disorders of pregnancy

6. Study might be done to develop the health education package on the minor disorders of pregnancy and to evaluate their effectiveness.

7. An experimental study can be conducted with structured teaching programme on minor disorders of pregnancy by having control group and randomization.

8. A study can be taken to investigate the occurrence of minor disorders of pregnancy and to evaluate their effectiveness.

CONCLUSION:

From the findings of present study following conclusion were drawn:

1. Antenatal mothers were than median knowledge, practice aspects had more than median regarding minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal mothers.

2. All the socio demographic variables were found to be invariably significant in association with their knowledge and practice scores regarding minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal mothers at 5% level.

3. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was 70%, frequency of micturation was 60% , and fatigue was 50% .

REFERENCES:

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2. The Nursing Journal Of India: WHO, 2000 March; 106(3): p 50- 2.

3. Hueston NJ. Kasik Miller S. Changes in functional health status during normal pregnancy. journal of family practice. 1998:47(3): p 209-12.

4. Park K. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 20^th ed, Jabalpur :Bhanot, 2009.

5. Winderskov L.et al. Preventive Checkups Of Pregnant Women 1998 May; 9:756 (19) p 2897-901.

6. Schrier RW Water and Sodium Retention in Edematous Disorder: Role of Vasopressin and aldosterone. American Journal Of Medicine 2006 July; 119(7): 547-53.

7. Darnish A et al. Therapeutic modalities on vaginal discharge during pregnancy. Journal Obstetric Gynecological Research. 2007 Dec; 33(6): 781-7.

8. Boback Jenson. Maternity and Child Health Nursing, London, 1993.

9. The Nursing Journal of India: WHO, 1994 June;105: p 10- 12.

10. Night angle Nursing Times: New Delhi: Medical Publication ; 2008 Feb; p 67

11. M. Venkataswamy Reddy, statistics for mental health care research, NIMHANS publication; 2002, p 108 -144.

Received on 25.02.2014 Modified on 29.04.2014

Asian J. Nur. Edu. & Research 4(3): July- Sept., 2014; Page 284-287