The present study aims at assessing the impact of structured education regarding the knowledge level of antenatal primigravidae mothers on anaemia and its associated risk factors. Objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence, risk factors, knowledge and medication status of anaemia among pregnant women. This was a prospective interventional study which was carried out for a period of six months at Basaveshwara Medical College Hospital and Research Center and Suneetha Nursing Home, Chithradurga. The study was initiated after receiving approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Details of patients who had visited the hospital and clinic for antenatal checkup was documented and a PRE and POST test was conducted by providing a Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire (KAQ) on anaemia. The results were analyzed using paired T test. Among 101 patients, the prevalence of anaemia was 73(72.27%) of which a majority of 49(48.51%) were moderately anaemic with the highest prevalence in the third trimester (47.94%). Marital age was considered as an important risk factor with 25(34.24%) belonged to the marital age of 17-20 yrs of which 5 of them were severely anaemic. Considering the diet and life style during pregnancy, vegetarian diet and consumption of tea / coffee came out to be the important predictors of anaemia in pregnancy. Most of them 54(53.46%) had never heard about anaemia before which was improved after providing structured counselling along with specially designed patient information leaflets (P <0.05). This study revealed that the prevalence of anaemia is considerably high particularly in the third trimester. Early marriages and pregnancies are considered as inevitable risk factors for anaemia. Thus, community pharmacist should initiate steps to bridge the gap of ignorance by empowering women about this social issue and approaches are required to combat anaemia in primigravidae population.
Loading....