TITLE:
Evaluation of Mothers’ Knowledge of Pre- and Postnatal Preventive Care in Rural Areas: A Cross-Sectional Study at the Soubakaniédougou Medical Center in Burkina Faso
AUTHORS:
Millogo Jean de la Croix, Johnson Ameswué Kpogbé Ermel, Sanou Jean de Dieu, Méré Godé Sabi Tokobou William, Togbé Eric Serge Alihonou, Yaméogo Rélwendé Barnabé, Komboigo Evelyne, Dembélé Adama, Somé Der Adolphe
KEYWORDS:
Pre- and Postnatal Care, Rural Environment, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.4,
April
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: To improve maternal health, it is essential to have adequate infrastructures and qualified personnel. However, women, especially in rural areas, need to know about and adopt prenatal and postnatal care. Hence the importance of our study. Material and method: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study with evaluative aims running from April 1 to August 31, 2019 in the Soubakaniédougou Medical Center of the Banfora health district. We assessed mothers’ knowledge of pre- and postnatal preventive care. Data were collected by interview, and according to the child’s health record used for the Prenatal Consultation (CPN). Results: The women in our study were relatively young, with an average age of 26.15 ± 3.3 years. The youngest mother was 16 and the oldest 42. The average gestational age was 3.48 pregnancies, with a range of 1 to 11 pregnancies. All women knew that pregnancy should be monitored in a health center, and 83.3% of them thought that the required number of prenatal visits was 4. The majority of women in our study had undergone at least one CPN during their pregnancies. Family planning (FP) was known by over 81% of women and adopted by over 53%. Conclusion: Illiteracy is an obstacle to the use of prenatal care by women living in rural areas. In our study, we found that although illiterate, most women understood and adopted ANC as part of their pregnancy follow-up.