Prioritizing Pregnant Women’s Preferences to Receive Health Information Before and During Pregnancy in Semnan in 2014 - 2015

Abstract

Background: Given that family health is tied to women health, illness, or death of a woman has an adverse effect on the health of her child, family, and community; awareness of women’s preferences in receiving health information can help to improve and modify the methods of informing and providing appropriate services to them, and also makes pregnant women training more efficient and more effective. Objectives: The aim of this study is to prioritize the preferences of women before and during pregnancy on receiving health information. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on pregnant women who had referred to health care centers affiliated to Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Iran in 2014. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was developed. Results: The results showed that 17.5% (n = 35) of the participants reported their information needs about physical health to become pregnant, 36% (n = 72) psychological readiness for pregnancy and 57.5% (n = 115) domestic violence and its impact on the health of the mother and fetus. Number of previous delivery had a negative and significant relationship with the pregnant women’s preferences (B = - 1.31, P < 0.001). Conclusions: It is concluded that the most of pregnant women are oblivious to their health for getting pregnant and some of them experience symptoms of mental disorders in reproductive age. The findings show that domestic violence is a hidden and persistent epidemic among the pregnant women. Women, who had more previous delivery, needed this information less.