EFFECTS OF NURSE LED GROUP BASED EDUCATION ON KNOWLEDGE AND UTILIZATION OF ANTENATAL CARE SERVICES AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

Abstract

Maternal health encompasses the well-being of women during their reproductive years, spanning from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy and the postpartum period while caring for their young children. Aim of the study is to determine the effects of nurse led group based education on knowledge of Antenatal care services among pregnant women. A quasi-experimental study with a pre-post design was conducted to evaluate the impact of a nurse-led group-based educational intervention on antenatal care knowledge and service utilization among pregnant women in Dhaka Nizam Pura, Tehsil Ferozwala, District Sheikhpura. The study included 58 women aged 20-45, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via self-reported questionnaires in Urdu, focusing on demographic information and antenatal care knowledge. The nine-month study involved pre-assessment, a five-month intervention, and a post-assessment. SPSS Version 24 was used to analyze the data, comparing pre- and post-intervention results to assess effectiveness. The study result showed that majority of participants were aged 25-34 years (62.1%), with a large proportion being housewives (44.8%) and from poor households (56.9%). The majority (70.7%) were primiparous, and 79.3% had low-risk pregnancies. Normality tests indicated non-normal data distribution. Knowledge scores significantly improved post-intervention, rising from 8.31±2.76 to 16.40±4.20 (p < 0.001). After the intervention, 58.8% achieved good knowledge compared to 54.2% pre-intervention. Age was significantly associated with knowledge improvement (p = 0.045), while pregnancy risk status also showed a significant impact (p = 0.006), with low-risk participants achieving better outcomes. The study concluded that nurse led education intervention significantly improve knowledge of pregnant women.