Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Knowledge of Postpartum Perineal Wound Care amongst Antenatal Mothers in Jos

Abstract

Background: Most mothers who sustained perineal trauma during vaginal birth suffer some forms of postpartum complications such as pain which interferes with activities of daily living and care for her baby, wound dehiscence, infection and dyspareunia. Information on postpartum perineal wound care has been given less attention during antenatal health education sessions. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on knowledge of postpartum perineal wound care. Design: One group pretest and post-test design. Setting: Study was conducted in Antenatal clinic, Jos University Teaching Hospital. Participants: A total of 100 pregnant mothers were serially recruited purposively in antenatal Clinics. Instruments used for data collection was questionnaire which was reliable at Cronbach co-efficient alpha .78. Descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, percentages, mean and standard deviations were used in analysis and Inferential statistics such as McNemar’s test was used to compare between pretest and post-test knowledge scores and Chi-square were used in testing hypothesis. Method: Pre-test questionnaire was administered to mothers during antenatal visit. Participants were educated immediately after filling the questionnaire. Seven days after intervention, post-test questionnaire was administered. Results: Findings indicates that Mother’s knowledge on postpartum perineal wound care increased significantly after intervention (average mean knowledge score from 2.22±0.833 pretest to 2.89±0.381 post-test P<0.05). Previous delivery did not significantly increase pretest (X2=0.581; P-value=0.748) and post-test (X2=5.530; P-value=0.063) knowledge score. Conclusion: In conclusion, women who were taught postpartum perineal wound care had improvement in their knowledge therefore, it is recommended that postpartum self-perineal wound care be taught to antenatal mother, guidelines on perineal wound care be made available in delivery centers and knowledge of health care providers on postpartum perineal wound care be assessed.