THE MEDICAL AWARENESS OF FUTURE MOTHERS ABOUT HEALTH OF NEWBORNS AND CHILDREN OF EARLY AGE

Abstract

The efficiency of preventive activities depends on medical awareness of population in issues of health. By force of this, the problem of increasing of awareness about issuers of health is considered by the WHO as the most actual one in area of public health. The particular interest is raised by awareness of female population - future mothers - concerning development of health of future children. The purpose of study is to analyze and evaluate awareness of pregnant women and involvement of obstetricians-gynecologists in development of health of newborns and children of early age. The sociological survey was carried out in the form of correspondence questionnaire survey of 350 pregnant women and 25 physicians. The study established low awareness of pregnant women about issues of development of health of children at the prenatal stage: 62.6% of women have no knowledge about effect of risk factors on health of future children, 59.3% experience emotional tension and 87% mention necessity of health education related to these issues. The vested interest of physicians in increasing of medical awareness of pregnant women is determined. It is established that most of obstetricians-gynecologists suffer from inadequate knowledge concerning issues of early diagnostic and primary prevention of inborn and inherited diseases. The obtained results determine necessity of implementation of organizational methodological activities targeted to increasing of medical awareness of women concerning their own health and understanding of personal responsibility for development of health of their future children.