Volume 25 , Issue 2 , December 2023 , Pages 334-341
1 Department of Maternal Neonate Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Background: Pregnant mothers experience a number of physical and psychological
changes due to pregnancy, which are part of a normal process. However, vaginal
bleeding, severe headaches, blurred vision, high fever, swollen hands or face, and
decreased foetal activity can be warning indicators. These warning signs typically point
to an obstetric problem that could develop during pregnancy. Understanding these
warning signs can empower women to make informed decisions and seek medical
attention. Objective: The current study aims to assess the knowledge of danger signs
during pregnancy of primigravidal women attending the Ali Kamal Health Center in
Sulaimaniyah City. Materials and Methods: A non-probability, Purpousive sample of
126 pregnant women was used in this descriptive study. It was conducted at the Ali
Kamal Health Center in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq from 16 January 2023 to 16 March 2023. A
well-designed questionnaire was constructed, in which the first section focused on
sociodemographic characteristics and the second section consisted of questions regarding
obstetric characteristics. Ten questions about participants' knowledge of danger signs
comprised the final section. Results: The findings revealed that 61.1% of participants
had no knowledge of danger signs during pregnancy, 26.6% of mothers had adequate
knowledge, and just 12.7% of participants had good knowledge. Age and education level
have statistically significant or positive relationships with maternal knowledge.
However, no statistically significant or positive relationships exist between maternal
knowledge and occupation, monthly income, or place of residence. Conclusions: There
was a lack of awareness of pregnancy danger signs among expectant mothers at the Ali
Kamal Health Center. Pregnant women should be educated to be more aware of the
warning indicators, as this will empower them to make informed decisions and seek the
necessary medical attention.