ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING POSTNATAL MINOR DISCOMFORTS AND SELF CARE ACTIVITIES AMONG NULLIPAROUS WOMEN: SUGGESTED GUIDELINES

Postpartum minor discomforts may occur resulting from all systems adaptation. Immediate and effective care for these discomforts can make the differences in postpartum adaptation. The aims of the study were to assess knowledge regarding postnatal minor discomforts and self care activities among nulliparous women and set guidelines for nulliparous women about postnatal minor discomforts and self care activities. Study design: cross sectional descriptive design. Setting: the antenatal clinic of two hospitals (Zagazig university hospital and al Ahrar hospital. Study subjects: A convenient sample included 520 nulliparous women. Tools of data collection: A structured interview questionnaire was used. Results: The mean age of the studied women was 22.67 ± 2.15 years. A higher percentage of the studied women were secondary and university educated than essentially educated 52.7% & 31.5% vs. 15.8% respectively. In addition a higher percentage was rural residents and housewives 55.8% & 84.6% respectively. 68.1% of women were recruited in late pregnancy beyond 20 weeks and mothers were the main source of the studied women knowledge. Conclusion: almost three fourth of nulliparae had poor knowledge regarding the postnatal minor discomforts and self care activities for relieving them. Moreover the socio-demographic characteristics mainly affected the mean knowledge score; as young nulliparae below the age of 25, low level of education, rural residents and housewives their mean knowledge score was low. Recommendations: Health teaching supported by prints and drawings should be given to pregnant women in their antenatal visits that involve information about the postpartum period, minor discomforts that may arise during this period, their relief measures and how to differentiate them from danger signs that may arise during this critical period that require seeking advice of health care giver.