Awareness of Ultrasonography, Preconception during Pregnancy and use of Sonography by Tribal Women -Rural Community based Study

Research Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2578-8965/077

Awareness of Ultrasonography, Preconception during Pregnancy and use of Sonography by Tribal Women -Rural Community based Study

  • S. Chhabra 1*
  • Sushila Nayar 2
  • , Akanksha Shishugruha 3
  • Malviya S 4

Obstetrics Gynaecology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram.

*Corresponding Author: S. Chhabra, Obstetrics Gynaecology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram.

Citation: S. Chhabra, Sushila, Shishugruha A. and Malviya S (2021) Awareness of Ultrasonography, Preconception during Pregnancy and use of Sonography by Tribal Women -Rural Community based Study. J. Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences 5(5); DOI: 10.31579/2578-8965/077

Copyright: © 2021, S. Chhabra, This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Received: 06 May 2021 | Accepted: 08 May 2021 | Published: 22 July 2021

Keywords: preconception; pregnancy; awareness; ultrasonography findings

Abstract

Background: Ultrasonography (USG) has become part of everyday care of pregnant women in most of the countries of the globe. However like any other technology, it has potential to raise social, ethical, economic dilemmas about benefits, challenges for health providers, beneficiaries of the services. Awareness, utilization of USG by rural tribal women who live in extreme poverty with access problems is not well known. 

Objective: Community based study was carried out to know awareness of USG amongst rural, tribal, preconception, pregnant women and use of USG during pregnancy. 

Material methods: Study was conducted in tribal communities of 100 villages where community based mother child care services were initiated after having developed a health facility in one of 100 villages. Total 2400 preconception, 1040 pregnant women of 15-45 years, were interviewed in villages for knowing their awareness about USG, whether pregnant women had USG during pregnancy.

Results: Of 2400 preconception women, 626 (26.08%) were not aware of sonography. Of those who knew, 694 (39.1%) said sonography helped in confirmation of pregnancy, 1080 (60.88%) said it helped in knowing fetal age and position. Of 1040 pregnant women also 271 (26.1%) were not aware of USG. Those who knew, sources of information, were Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in 208 (27%), nurse midwives in 170 (22.1%), family members in 311 (40.4%), doctors in 80 (10.4%). Only 258 (33.5%) of 769 women who knew about USG had got USG done. Of them 82 (31.8%) were told that something was wrong without any details.

Conclusion: Study revealed that many rural tribal women did not even know about USG. Community health workers, ASHAs did create awareness of USG in some. Only 25% pregnant women had USG done but without knowing any details of findings.

Background

Ultrasonography is now an integrated part of pregnancy care in most of the countries around the world.Diagnostic ultrasound during pregnancy may be employed for variety of reasons to see image of the baby, placenta and amonite fluid even for the woman and her family to see in addition to sonologist. Actually some clinicians are replacing clinical examination of pregnant women by USG, may be for confirmation of pregnancy, duration of pregnancy, number of foetuses, fetal growth and development, abnormalities of fetus, placenta and liquor by direct visualization, amniocentesis and /or cordocentesis. It can be used for foetal therapy too and even foetal foeticide and also for prediction of maternal disorders which affect mother as well as the baby [1].  However if abnormalities are detected during pregnancy it might lead to stress for the woman and the family, sometimes problems may be detected in women who do not have any risk factors, creating a lot of stress which has sequlae. Unfortunately there is likelihood of false alarm too specially when USG is performed by a person who lacks desired skill and knowledge or lack of time or desired attitude too. Assumptions are made that routine USG will prove beneficial by enabling earlier detection and improved management of pregnancy complications [2]. Routine screening may be done in early or late pregnancy, or both. Use of USG early in pregnancy is increasing, but there is limited information about linkage decision-making and impact on expectant women/couples. It is essential to know because globally there has been increasing medicalization of pregnancy [3]. However the awareness and utilization of USG by rural tribal women specially those with extreme poverty is not well known.

Objectives

Community based study was carried out to know awareness of rural tribal preconception and pregnant women and use of USG during pregnancy.

Material and methods

After approval of ethics committee, which works on the principle of Helsinki Declaration, the study was conducted in tribal communities of 100 villages of rural, hilly and forestry, Melghat of Amravati, Maharashtra, India. In these villages community based mother and child care services were initiated after having created a health facility in one of the villages. Information was collected visiting every 5th house randomly, minimum 20 preconception women from each village total 2400 and 1040 pregnant women of 15-45 years. Interviews were conducted taking consent using a pretested tool in the language understood by women. Some questions needed yes or no answers and others short open answers. 

Results

Of total 2400 preconception study subjects, 27% did not know anything and 1774 (73.9%) women were aware about sonography. Overall 694 (39.1%) of those who were aware said sonography helped in knowing about pregnancy, 1080 (60.88%) of those who knew about USG said it helped to know the fetal age and position. Overall 336 (14%) of 2400 women were of 15-19 years age, 271 (80.65%) of them were aware of sonography during pregnancy and 245 (90.41%) of them said USG helped in knowing fetal age with position and only 26 (9.59%) said it can confirm pregnancy.  Of 74 women of 40-45 years age, 59 (79.3) were aware of USG similar to young women and 50 (84.75%) of them said it helped in knowing fetal age and position and only 9 (15.25%) said for confirmation of pregnancy. Of 953 (39.70%) of 2400 women were illiterate, 726 (76.18%) of them were aware of sonography and 539 (74.24%) said it helped to know fetal age and position and 187 (25.76%) said it confirmed pregnancy. Of 60 (65.93%) of 91 women with higher secondary education, 54 (90%) said USG helped in knowing fetal age and position and only 6 (10%) said confirmation pregnancy. Of 275 housewives 211 (76.72%) were aware of USG, 182 (86.26%) women said sonography helped in estimation of fetal age and position and 29 (13.74%) said for confirmation of pregnancy. Of 958 labourer 681 (71.86%), knew about sonography and 444 (65.2%) of those who knew about USG, said it helped to know the fetal age and position and 237 (34.8%) for confirmation pregnancy. Of 2400 preconception women, 662 (27.58%) belonged to upper lower economic class, [economic status was divided in five], 553 (83.53%) of them were aware of sonography, 340 (61.48%) said it helped in knowing fetal age and position and 213 (38.52%) confirmation of pregnancy.  Seventy-four (50.34%) of 147 women who belonged to upper economic class, knew about sonography, significantly less (P Value 0.0127) and 39 (52.7%) said it helped in confirmation of pregnancy and 35 (47.3%) said to know about fetal age and position. Overall 85 (81%) of 105 who had no child were aware of sonography, 75 (88.24%) said it helped in estimation of fetal age, position and only 10 (11.8%) said confirmation pregnancy. Overall 421 (82.7%) of 509 who had five or more births were aware of sonography, similar to those with no child, 250 (59.4%) said it helped in confirmation of pregnancy and 171 (40.62%) estimation of fetal age and position. Total 626 (26.08%) 2400 preconception women did not know that there was something like sonography. (Table I).

 

Table I: Awareness of Ultrasonography in Preconception Women

Total 769 (73.9%) of 1040 rural tribal pregnant women, knew about USG in pregnant women but 271 (26.1%) did not know. The sources of information were Accredited Social Health activists (ASHA) 208 (27%), nurse midwives 170 (22.1%), family members 311 (40.4%) and in 80 (10.4%) doctors.  Of 1040 study subjects, 406 (75.7%) of 536 of 20-24 years were aware of USG, Sources of information were ASHAs in 166 (40.9%), Nurse Midwives in 152 (34.4%), 66 (16.3%) Doctors and 22 (5.4%) family members. As age increased more women were found to be knowing about USG, 216 (66.9%) of 323 of 15 to 19 year, 60 (83.33%) of 72 of 30-39 years old. (P Value 0.3776) It seemed to be related to increased parity too. Out of 1040 pregnant women, 43 (4.13%) were postgraduate studied still only 3 (6.97%) 

were aware, one (33.3%) was told by ASHA and 2 (66.7%) by family members. Overall 56 (5.38%) illiterate women, 34 (66.1%) were aware of USG, by ASHAs 21 (56.8%), Nurse midwives 13 (35.1%) and Doctors 3 (8.1%). Only 2 (3.9%) of 51who belonged to middle economic class were aware of USG, ASHAs, being the source of information in both. Of 1040 pregnant women, 618 belonged to lower economic class and 541 (87.5%) of them were aware of USG, ASHAs were the source in 294 (54.3%), nurse midwives in 166 (30.7%), doctors in 52 (9.6%) and family members in 29 (5.4%). Among 1040 pregnant women, 943 were housewives and of them 716 (75.9%) were aware of USG. ASHAs were the source in 322 (45.0%) and family members in 182 (25.4%). Overall 21 (52.5%) of 40 labourers were aware of USG and 17 (81%) were told by ASHAs.

 

ASHA- Accredited Social Health Activist
ANM- Auxiliary nurse midwife
Table II: Awareness of Ultrasonography Pregnant Women and Source of Information
Table III: Ultrasonography during Pregnancy by Rural Tribal Women

As the parity increased number of women with awareness increased, 27 (24.3%) of 111 primigravida and 157 (71%) of 221 fifth gravida said they were told by family members. Only 258 (24.8%) of 1040 pregnant women themselves had USG and 782 (75.2%) did not. 258 (33.5%) of 769 women who knew about USG had USG done. Of them 82 (31.8%) were told of possibilities of some abnormalities but they did not know any details. There seemed to be no communication in most of the cases in whom USGs was done, probably because USG were done in camps at Primary Health Centers or Sub District Hospital with crowds around. Of 1040 study subjects, 536 (51.53%) were of 20-24 year, 123 (22.9%) got USG done, 42 (34.1%) said some abnormalities were told but did not know any details. 14 (19.44%) of 72 of 30-39 year had USG, of which 8 (57.14%) were told of abnormalities without details. Of 66 graduates, 55 (83.3%) had USG and 29 (52.7%) were told of some abnormalities. Only 16 (28.6%) of 56 illiterate had USG and 4 (25%) were told of some abnormalities. Of 43 (4.13%) who belonged to middle economic class, 41 (80.4%) had USG and 9 (22%) of them were told of some abnormalities. Only 59 (9.5%) of 618 women who belonged to lower economic class had USG. Twenty (33.9%) said some abnormalities were told without any details. Of 943 (90.67%) of 1040 pregnant housewives, 225 (23.9%) had USG and 66 (29.3%) were told about abnormalities, but they did not know any details. Only 11 (27.5%) of 40 labourers had USG and no one said they were told of any abnormalities. Total 117 (11.25%) were primipara, only 29 (24.8%) of them had USG and 7 (24.1%) said some abnormalities were told without any details. Overall 188 (29.74%) of 632 women who had 3 or more births in 64 (34.04%) were told of some abnormalities with no details. 

Conclusion

The role of prenatal sonography in obstetric care should be real with preconception awareness in antenatal centres, and initiating mother/sonographers interaction are necessary.

References

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