INTRODUCTION:

A woman has two smiles that an angel might envy, the smile that accepts a lover before words are uttered, and the smile that lights on the first born baby and assures it of a mother’s love.

Pregnancy is the period of time when a human being grows from the combination of genetic material from a single egg and typically, sperm. Conception occurs naturally through sexual intercourse. Over the course of about forty weeks the baby grows and matures from those two cells to a fully developed baby and is born¹. Complementary therapy is defined by the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) as a health care approach outside of main stream western or convention al medicine. The term complementary relates to medicine that is used together with main stream medicine. Complementary therapy use in pregnancy is common around the world. In America 69% of pregnant women, Germany 51% of pregnant women, Australia 73% of pregnant women are using complementary therapy. A complementary therapy includes various heating approaches and therapies that originate around the world and that are not based on conventional western medicine.

Complementary therapies are popular because they emphasize the individual personality and the interaction between mind, body and 4 environment². They are attractive to people who want to be more involved in their own care they and feels that such therapies are more harmony with their personal philosophies. There are different types of complementary therapies that include breathing exercise, massage, yoga, music therapy and Ayurveda³.

The benefits of complementary therapy includes lowered anxiety, decreased back and leg pain, improved sleep, no side effects, easily affordable, simple to prescribe and practice. Decreased levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine, increased levels of “feel good” hormones serotonin and dopamin, decreased levels of cortisol and indicator of stress, and overall improvement in mood.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A study to assess the knowledge regarding complementary therapies among antenatal mothers attending antenatal clinic in a selected hospital at Kollam

OBJECTIVES:

· To assess the knowledge regarding complementary therapies among antenatal mothers attending antenatal clinic in a selected hospital at Kollam.

· To find out the association between the knowledge regarding complementary therapies among antenatal mothers and selected demographic variables such as age, qualification, religion, occupation, income and support person.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

Study related to complementary therapies:

A study was conducted to assess music during caesarian section, under regional anesthesia for improving clinical and psychological outcomes for mothers and infants. 76 women, who planned to have their babies delivered by caesarian section, were included in this study. The researchers included randomized controlled trials, comparing music added to standard care during caesarean section under regional anesthesia to standard care alone. Data analysis was done by Mean Difference (MD) with a 95% Confidence Interval. The result was music added to standard care during caesarian section. Under regional anesthesia had some impact on pulse rate at the end of maternal contact with the Neonate in the intra operative period. (M D 7.50 fewer beats per minute, 95% C I 14.08 of skin suture for caesarean section (M D--0.92). and after completion 7.37, fewer beats per min, 95 % CI13.37 to 1.37). There was also an improvement in the birth satisfaction score (maximum possible score is 35, MD3.38, 95% CI1.5 to 5.17). The study concluded that music during planned caesarean section under regional anesthesia may improve pulse rate and birth satisfactory score⁴.

Study related to the use of complementary therapies:

A study was conducted to assess the level of training and use of complementary therapies by midwives working at 28 hospitals in Catatonia. The study revealed that the complementary therapy in which the midwives were trained correlated negatively in age and with their time working at hospital in years. Midwives trained in complementary therapy opined that the following therapies were useful for pain relief during labour and delivery. Relax action techniques (64.3%) hydrotherapy (84.8%) and the application of compress to perineum (75.9%). The availability of resources for providing complementary therapy during normal birth care varied widely from center to center. The study concluded that age may influence attitudes towards training. It is important to increase the number o f mid wives trained in complementary medicine for pain relief during childbirth, in order to promote the use of complementary therapy and ensure efficiency and safety⁵.

Study related to knowledge of complementary therapies:

A study was conducted to asses the knowledge of antenatal mothers regarding yoga programme during pregnancy, on maternal comfort, labour pain and birth outcomes. A randomized trial was conducted using 74 primigravida. Women who are equally divided into 2 groups (experimental and control). The yoga programs involved 1hour sections at prescribed weeks of gestation. A variety of instruments w ere used, to assess maternal comfort, labour pain and birth outcomes. The experimental group was found to have higher levels of maternal comfort during labour and 2 hrs post labour and experienced less labour pain than control group. In control group pain increased and maternal comfort decreased as labour progressed and no difference was found between the groups. The experimental group was found to have a shorter duration of the first stage of labour⁶.

Study related to attitudes towards complementary therapies:

A survey was conducted to assess the physicians and patient’s attitude towards complementary and alternative medicine in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Harvard University, Boston. Surveys were obtained from 401 physicians and 483 patients. Knowledge questionnaire was used for survey. The result obtained was both physicians and patients are having positive attitude towards CAM. Physicians appeared to have a more positive attitude towards CAM as compared to patients and most report routinely endorsing, providing for referring patients for at least 1 CAM modality. The researchers concluded that physicians and patients have positive attitudes towards CAM.

Study related to effectiveness of complementary ttherapies:

A study was conducted to examine the effects of complementary and alternative therapies for pain ma nagement perinatal morbidity. The method for sample selection was randomized controlled trials and Meta analysis was performed for data analysis. 1448 women selected as samples and 496 women selected acupressure as ideal management for pain relief. Women who were taught selfhypnosis had decreased requirements for pharmacological in labor and maternal and analgesia and the study concluded that acupressure and hypnosis may be beneficial for management of pain during labour⁷.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

A quantitative approach is used, in that the research design adopted for the study is non experimental survey design. The settings will be antenatal clinic of 11 Bishop Benziger Hospital situated at Kollam. Population will be antenatal mothers who are attending antenatal clinic of Bishop Benziger Hospital Kollam. The non probability convenient sampling technique is used.

Tool:

The tool used for the present study is demographic performa and structured questionnaire.

Data Collection:

After getting permission from the Director of Bishop Benziger Hospital, data collection was done from 8- 12-18 to 13-12-18. Informed consent was taken from all antenatal mothers. Knowledge questionnaire related to complementary therapy was given to 100 antenatal mothers who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria. Th e purpose of t he study was well explained to them and the researcher, helped antenatal mothers in completing the questionnaire. The completed questionnaires were collected for analysis.

Data Analysis:

The systematic organization and synthesis of research data is done by data analysis. Researchers will analyze the data by using descriptive and inferential statistics based on the objectives and assumptions of the study. Chi square test was used to find out the association between knowledge and selected demographic variable.

RESULTS:

Description of demographic variable:

This section deals with the sample characteristics under study. In the present study the demographic data revealed that 48% of the antenatal mothers were under the age of 18 -25 years, 43% of antenatal mothers were under the age group of 26-30yrs and 9% of antenatal mothers were under the age group of 31-36yrs. Most of the antenatal mothers (54%) were Christians, 14% were Muslims and 32% were Hindus. Regarding occupation, it was found that 50% were working in government sector, 31% belonged to private sector and 19% belonged to other sectors. Majority of the antenatal mothers (50%) were supported by husbands, 49% were supported by family and only 1% of them were supported by others. Regarding the source of information about complementary therapies, it was revealed that 38% received knowledge about complementary therapies through peer groups, 35% by mass media and 27% by educational programmes. Most of the antena tal mothers were graduates (52%), 38% with higher secondary education and 10% were post graduates. Most of them live in urban areas (61%) and 39% in rural areas. 53% of the antenatal mothers were primiparous and 47% multiparous.

Description of knowledge regarding complementary among antenatal mothers:

The present study revealed that 40% of antenatal mothers have inadequate knowledge, 59% have moderate knowledge and only 1% have adequate knowledge regarding complementary therapies in pretest.

Association between knowledge and demographic variables:

The association was found out by using chi square test. It was inferred that the present study showed significant association between knowledge and demographic variables such as religion, education, area of residence, support person and source of information (calculated ‘t’ value is greater than table value at 0.05 level of significance) and no significant association between knowledge and demographic variables such as age, occupation and parity at 0.05 level of significance. (Calculated value is lesser than table value at 0.05 level of significance).

DISCUSSION:

The present study findings consistent with another study. An experimental study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of exercise during pregnancy among antenatal mothers. A total of 200 of antenatal mothers were included in the study, who filled in the questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of 25 questions (21 on knowledge, 3 on attitude and 1 on practice). For knowledge items categorical responses (yes, I don’t know and applied with no) were an item score of ‘2’, ‘1’, ‘0’ respectively for positive knowledge. For attitude and practice the answers were either yes, no. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Response rate was 100%. The age range of the study group was 18-35 years with a mean age of 25±4.51 years. The majority of the study population was Hindus (81%), had undergone primary education (63%) and were homemakers (74%). The total mean knowledge score was 20.53±2.08. 51% felt it was necessary to do exercise in pregnancy12•

CONCLUSION:

The present study was aimed to assess the knowledge regarding complementary therapies among antenatal mothers attending antenatal 10 clinics in selected hospital at Kollam. A pamphlet regarding complementary therapies was given to the antenatal mothers after the pretest.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that

· A similar kind of study can be conducted for a large group

· A study was conducted to assess the knowledge of ante natal mothers regarding complementary therapy attending antenatal clinic.

REFERENCE:

1. A Leuri, International Journal of Nursing Education Volume 4 no; 2009 page no; 54-57.

2. Available from https://en.wikipedia.org.

3. International Journal of Nursing Education and Research. Volume 6, 2018

4. Available from http://www.ncbi.n/m.nih.gov

5. Available from https://www.aroma chemy.com

6. International Journal of Nursing Education and Research. Volume 6, 2018

7. Available from https://www.women health.com

Received on 05.03.2021 Modified on 29.03.2021

Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2021; 11(3):415-418.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2996.2021.00099