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Published on: January 12, 2018
Preconception care in South Eastern Nigeria.
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Nigeria. uzoegwui@yahoo.co.uk
Summary
Preconception care awareness is low in developing countries, with practice being nearly non-existent. Targeted education and dedicated clinics are crucial for improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Reproductive Health
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Preconception care is vital for improving maternal and child health outcomes.
- Awareness and practice of preconception care are often limited in developing countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the awareness and practice of preconception care among women in a developing country.
- To assess the factors influencing preconception care awareness and utilization.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,331 women receiving antenatal care at two teaching hospitals in Nigeria.
- Systematic sampling was employed, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Main Results:
- Only 43.1% of women had heard of preconception care.
- Awareness increased with educational status and parity, but practice did not significantly correlate with parity.
- A significant gap exists between knowledge and behavior regarding preconception care.
Conclusions:
- Preconception care practice is alarmingly low in developing countries like Nigeria.
- Vigorous, targeted education and multidisciplinary preconception clinics are essential to improve utilization and reduce maternal/perinatal mortality.
- Preconception clinics are particularly important in developing nations to address inadequate education and prevalent illnesses affecting pregnancy.
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