The Survey of knowledge and attitude of pregnant women referred to Medical Centers of Qom towards type of delivery

Abstract

Introduction: Vaginal delivery is the best method of delivery. Regarding to recent data (1382) 33% of deliveries were carried out using cesarean method in Iran. Increasing of cesarean percentage is probably due to negative attitude about vaginal delivery and low knowledge about cesarean side effects. This research is aimed to determine knowledge and attitude of pregnant women about type of delivery.

Methods and Materials: This descriptive study was conducted on 136 pregnant women attended to eight health centers in Qom during Jun to August of 2003. The tool for data collection was questionnaire including, demographic obstetrical and gynecological factors and some questions about knowledge and attitude about vaginal and cesarean delivery. The questionnaire was provided by counseling with experts in midwifery and gynecology and its reliability was confirmed by test and retest. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, c², Man Whitney and Kruskal Wallis.

Results: The levels of knowledge in the pregnant women about type of delivery, in 40.4% were average and in 59.6% were good. In this study 94.1% of women toward vaginal delivery and 63.2% toward cesarean delivery had positive atitudes, 5.9% of subjects toward vaginal delivery and 36% toward cesarean had indifferent attitude. Significant statistical difference was observed between the level of knowledge and attitude of cesarean delivery (P< 0.0001), but no significant statistical difference was observed between the level of knowledge and attitude of vaginal delivery (P=0.19).

Conclusion: According to the result there was significant relationship between knowledge and attitude toward cesarean delivery. Education strategies are suggested for improvement knowledge and positive attitude toward methods of delivery. It can decrease interest of pregnant women toward cesarean delivery.