Background: Pregnant women are most vulnerable to adverse effects due to obstetrics danger signs like convulsion, severe bleeding, severe frontal headache and all of these are a result of delayed in all stages of labor and poor antenatal clinic visits.
Objective: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge and perception of these obstetrics danger signs among pregnant women attending at Makongoro hospital.
Methodology: This was hospital based cross section study done that involved pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Makongoro hospitall. Data were extracted by using structured questionnaire at study area and data entry was done in excel, analysis was done using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. hence descriptive statistics, proportions and frequency was determined.
Results: A total of 236 patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in this study. Majority of the study participants were in the age group of 20-29yrs (50.4%) . (97.3%) of the study participant were married, (92.8%) were either employed or self employed where as (46.2%) at least completed secondary education. Among the study participants more than three-quarter (92.4%) reported to have knowledge on the danger signs, (86.0%) mentioned antenatal clinic visits and from health professionals (Doctors/Nurses) as the main source of information, where as (96.2%) mentioned reduction of both maternal and foetal mortality as the significance of knowing obstetric danger signs. Among the obstetric danger signs severe vaginal bleeding (100%), foul smelling vaginal discharge (100%), severe persistent abdominal pain (97.5%) and reduced foetal movement (100%) were the most mentioned obstetric danger signs. When it comes on how the study participants perceived the obstetrics danger signs,67.8% perceived nothing as they mentioned that they don’t know on how to perceive the obstetric danger signs, (53.4%) believed these obstetrics danger signs occurs as normal thing additionally (97.5%) believed going to the hospital as the best option when they encounter obstetric danger signs. Conclusion: Severe vaginal bleeding, convulsions, foul smelling vaginal discharge and reduced fetal movement were mentioned as the very serious obstetric danger signs at makongoro health Centre. However, the overall the knowledge and perception on the danger signs during pregnancy is still very low
Recommendation: Despite these findings, Makongoro health center is located in town therefore result might not reflect general population. Hence Improving ante-natal services, training healthcare workers and early intervention of obstetric danger signs will be a way to reduce the adverse effects due to danger signs during pregnancy that might lead to maternal and fetal mortality.