Knowledge and Perception Towards the Predisposing Factors to Eclampsia among Pregnant Women Attending the Antenatal Clinic at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin Kwara State

Abstract

Introduction: Eclampsia, one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality globally, is one of the most dreaded causes of unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are thought to be the cause of nearly 63,000 maternal fatalities each year globally. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and perception towards predisposing factors to eclampsia among pregnant women. Materials and methods: This research assessed the level of awareness and perception of eclampsia risk factors among pregnant patients at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and identified factors affecting those perceptions. 110 expectant women were chosen randomly from the research population for this descriptive cross-sectional survey, and the research participants responded to a self-structured questionnaire after informed consent was sought. Results: Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the level of significance set at 0.05. The majority of the respondents (41.8%) were 21-30 years old, and the majority (88.2%) were married. The study revealed that the majority of pregnant had good knowledge (89.1%) about predisposing factors to eclampsia, but their perception was poor. The findings showed no significant relationship between knowledge and perception towards the predisposing factors towards eclampsia among pregnant women with a p-value (0.319) > 0.05. Conclusion: Although pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital have good knowledge towards predisposing factors to eclampsia, their perception is poor.