[Factors related to the recognition of alarm signals during pregnancy]

The medical literature has noted the relationship between perinatal morbidity and mortality and cultural factors for more than twenty years. During this time, however, rates of diseases such as hypertension, which complicate pregnancy and delivery, threatened preterm delivery and premature rupture of the membranes have decrease little. These conditions required other, complementary actions such as health education. The purpose of this research was to explore existing knowledge about warning signs during pregnancy in a population using third level medical facilities as the first step in designing an educational program.

We applied a 17 item multiple choice questionnaire regarding alarm sings during pregnancy to a group of 100 pregnant women. The sample was classified into six groups according to the age of the patient and the presence of aggregate risk. The analysis focused on the proportion of correct responses, applying different statistical tests according to the nature of the variables.

In stepwise multiple regression, years of education explained 8.1% of the variance of correct responses, the number of pregnancies 5.5%, and gestational age 6.6%. The ANOVA of the complete regression was significant (F = 9.41; df = 99; p < 0.001) with a standard error of 2.23 ans a final adjusted r = 0.45. The number of consultations was positively associated with gestational age but had no relationships with correct responses. Groups with the greatest information deficits were adolescents and patients of adequate reproductive age with low reproductive risk.

Patients with the least obvious alarm signs failed the most items in the alarm sing questionaire. The educational relationship between the physician and the patient should be more carefully explored. We are in agreement with other authors that educational level of patients is a determining to the attitude and knowledge of the population towards its own health.