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ISSN 2063-5346
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KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE ON PREVENTIVE PRACTICES TOWARDS COVID-19 AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN SEEKING ANTENATAL SERVICES

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Ms. Thivya N, Dr. L. Lakshmi, Ms. Bhuvaneswari S, Ms.Prathiba , Ms. Precilla selvakumari J, Ms. Nancy Priscilla G
» doi: 10.31838/ecb/2023.12.s2.120

Abstract

The World Health Organization announced COVID-19 as a public health emergency of International concern on January 30, 2020. Even though everybody is at risk of becoming infected, pregnant mothers are more prone to become the victims of COVID-19, compared with the general population. Furthermore pregnancy in an immune suppressed state and are more susceptible to viral respiratory infections and their complications. The study aims to assess the knowledge and practice on preventive practices towards COVID-19 among pregnant women seeking antenatal services at selected primary health centre, Kanchipuram district, Tamilnadu. The objectives are to assess the knowledge and practice on preventive practices towards COVID-19 among pregnant women seeking antenatal services and to associate knowledge and practices of COVID-19 with their Selected Demographic Variables. Totally 60 women's were selected using purposive sampling technique and cross sectional design was adopted. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire administered via google form to consenting pregnant women. The variables assessed were knowledge about aetiology, mode of spread and preventive measures to protect against COVID-19. Data was also collected on socio-demographic characteristics, which included age, parity, marital status, residence, occupation, participant’s education, husband’s education. The result showed that 18.3% of pregnant women were having knowledge and practice below average, 48.3% falls in average group and only 33.4% were having good knowledge and practice regarding preventive measure for COVID -19. On further analysis, only educational status shows significant association with knowledge score but other socio-demographic variables were found to be non-significant with the level of knowledge of pregnant women. Most of the pregnant women responded correctly and had fair amount of knowledge on COVID-19 and practicing good preventive measures during their pregnancy. However, good educational programme to sensitize and proper health supervision from the healthcare authority might keep this special population safe and help in bridging the gap in their knowledge.

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