Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Erbil City

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) is a plan that helps women to consider all obtainable maternal health care services. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge on key danger signs and components of BP/CR among pregnant women within 3rd trimester who attending primary health care centers in Erbil city.Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 300 pregnant women, during the period mid-March 2019 to the end of July 2019 in five primary health care centers in Erbil city. Data gathered through interview with study sample and using structured questionnaires and purposive sampling technique used to selected samples. Data were analyzed by using the social package of statistical science (SPSS version 23).Results: Pregnant women were between the ages of 15 and 46 years, about 8% of the women aged less than 20 years, and 12.3% aged ≥ 35 years. About (93.7%)of the women thinks that planning for the place of delivery is important while only 1.3% thinks that it is important to identify skilled attendant. Also high knowledge about birth preparedness was associated significantly (p = 0.041) with age and the distance to the health care facility (p = 0.003) but there are not significant association with other socio-demographic factors.Conclusion: Large proportion of pregnant women had good knowledge about some of key danger signs. Generally, majority of the respondents had increased awareness on most of components of BP/CR.