ABSTRACT
Purpose
of the study
This study investigated pregnant women’s
awareness of antenatal ultrasound, their knowledge of its benefits, their
beliefs on the scan, their expectations from the scan as well as their feelings
after the scan so as to uncover the reasons behind underutilisation of
antenatal ultrasound at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Harare hospiatal.
Methodology
The study was a descriptive cross
sectional study of pregnant women visiting antenatal clinics at Harare hospital
and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. A sample of one hundred participants was
selected through consecutive sampling technique. Data was collected through
self-administered questionnaires and descriptive statistics were used to
analyse the data.
Findings
The majority of the women (99%) were
aware of antenatal ultrasound. Seventy one percent of the participants got
their information from relatives and friends. High level of knowledge of the
benefits of antenatal ultrasound was exhibited in 85% of the participants. A
considerable proportion of the women believed that antenatal ultrasound has
negative effects, it is not accurate and that it is expensive (54%, 52% and 57%
respectively). The expectation that was mentioned most frequently was knowing
the foetal sex (85%).
Conclusions
and recommendations
Lack of influence from health workers as well as the belief that antenatal ultrasound has negative effects particularly cancer, the belief that the procedure is expensive and inaccurate could be the reasons for underutilisation of the service in the above mentioned hospitals. Health workers should be trained and encouraged to talk to their patients about the service, sonographers should be properly trained and retrained to increase their accuracy and public education is recommended particularly on theme of safety of the service.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Dedications
……………………………………………………………………………………i
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………….………...…ii
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………….….ii
List of
abbreviations……………………………………………………………………….…..x
List of
appendices…………………………………………………………………………….xi
List of tables..………………………………………………………………………………...xii
List of figures..………………………………………………………………………………xiii
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction………………………………………….…………………………………..1
1.2 Background……………………………………………….……………………………..2
1.3 Statement
of the problem………………………….………………………………….…2
1.4 Aim…………………………………………………………………….………………..
3
1.5 Objectives………………………………………………...………………….…………..3
1.6 Research
questions………………………………………………………….…...………3
1.7 Justification………………………………………………………………….…………..4
1.8 Theoretic
framework…………………………………………………………….………5
1.9 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….………5
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………….…………………….6
2.2 The history
of the use of ultrasound in obstetrics…………………………………………6
2.3 Nature of
ultrasound…………………………………………………………………….…7
2.4 Uses of ultrasound in obstetrics……………………………………………………………7
2.4.1
Elective uses of ultrasound…………………………………………………..…..8
2.4.2 Reactive uses of ultrasound……………………………………………..……….9
2.5 Effects of
ultrasound…………………………………………………………………..…10
2.6 Attitude formation and change and their
application to the study………………………..11
2.7 The Health
Belief Model…………………………………………………………………13
2.8 Other
researches…………………………………………………………………….……17
2.8.1
Pregnant women's beliefs, expectations and experiences of antenatal ultrasound
in Northern Tanzania…………………………………………………………………17
2.8.2 Current knowledge, attitudes and
practices of expectant women toward routine sonography in pregnancy at Naguru
health centre, Uganda…………………………18
2.8.3 Information, knowledge and expectations
of the routine ultrasound scan in Ireland 2006…………………………………………………………………..………19
2.8.4
Knowledge of the Use and Indications for Obstetric Ultrasound Scan among Women
Attending A Main Referral Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria……………………...20
2.8.5
Review of a study that was based on the health belief model…….……………21
2.8.5.1
Examination with the Health Belief Model of Women’s Attitudes to Cervical
Cancer and Early Diagnosis in Turkey: A Qualitative Study…..…..21
2.9
conclusion………………………………………………………………………………...21
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………22
3.2 Research
design………………………………………………………………….……….22
3.3 Population of study…………………………………………………………...…………..22
3.4 Sampling……………………………………………………………………………….....22
3.4.1 Sample size……………………………………………………………………………..23
3.5 Inclusion
criteria………………………………………………………………………….23
3.6 Exclusion criteria…………………………………………………………………………23
3.7 Research instruments and Data collection
methods…...…………………………………24
3.8 Data
analysis and presentation…………………………………………………………...24
3.9 Data
management………………………………………………………………………...25
3.10 Reliability
and validity………………………………………………………………….25
3.11 Ethical considerations…………………………………………………………………...25
3.12 Limitations……………………………………………………………………………...26
3.13
conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..
26
CHAPTER FOUR
DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………27
4.2 Analysis of sample……………………………………………………………………….27
4.2.1
Questionnaire return……………………………………………………………27
4.2.2
Age distribution………………………………………………………………...27
4.2.3 Religion………………………………………………………………………...28
4.2.4
Marital status…………………………………………………………………...28
4.2.5
Gravidity and status of ultrasound scans on previous pregnancies…………….28
4.2.6
Educational Level and Occupation……………………………………………..29
4.3 Awareness of antenatal Ultrasound………………………………………………………30
4.4 Knowledge of
the benefits of antenatal ultrasound………………………………………30
4.4.1
Women’s level of knowledge on the benefits of ultrasound…………………...32
4.5 Women’s beliefs on antenatal ultrasound…...……………………………………………33
4.5.1
Who should be scanned? ………………………………………………………33
4.5.2
Risks of the procedure………………………………………………………….34
4.5.3
Cost of the procedure…………………………………………………………..34
4.5.4 Accuracy of the procedure……………………………………………………...34
4.5.5
Fears and decision to have the scan……………………………………………35
4.6 Expectations
and beliefs of pregnant women who had not previously had antenatal ultrasound
(n=61)…………………………………………………………………………….35
4.6.1 Bad effects of the scan which the
participants have heard of…………………..36
4.7 Reasons for antenatal ultrasound and the
feelings after the examination in those who had previously had antenatal
ultrasound (n=39)………………………………………………….36
4.8 Dissemination
of information…………………………………………………………….38
4.9 Accidental
findings………………………………………………………………………38
4.10 Correlation
statistics of sample demographics vs the objectives of the study………….38
4.10.1
Age vs knowledge level, attitudes and awareness…………………………....38
4.10.2 Marital status vs awareness, knowledge
level and beliefs……...……….……38
4.10.3 Level of education vs awareness, level
of knowledge and beliefs…...……….39
4.10.4
Occupation vs awareness, level of knowledge and beliefs..………………….40
4.10.5 Gravidity vs awareness, level of
knowledge and beliefs...……………………40
4.10.6
Status on previous ultrasound vs awareness, knowledge and beliefs...……….41
4.11
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………42
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION
5.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………43
5.2 Sample demographics and its effect on
the objectives of the study……………………...43
5.3 Objectives of the study…………………………………………………………………...46
5.3.1 Awareness of antenatal ultrasound……………………………………………..46
5.3.1.1 Sources of information of antenatal
ultrasound………………………47
5.3.2 Women’s knowledge on the benefits of
antenatal ultrasound…………………47
5.3.3
Women’s beliefs on antenatal ultrasound…………...…………………………49
5.3.4
Expectations and beliefs of those who had not previously had antenatal
ultrasound scans……………………………………………………………………...51
5.3.5 Reasons for scans in those who had
previously had antenatal ultrasound……..52
5.3.6
Feelings after the scan………………………………………………………….53
5.3.7
Dissemination of information…………………………………………………..53
5.4
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..54
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1
Introduction………………………………………………………………………54
6.2
Conclusions………………………………………………………………………54
6.2.1 Awareness of antenatal ultrasound……………………………………..54
6.2.2
Level of knowledge of the benefits of ultrasound……………………...54
6.2.3 Women’s beliefs on antenatal ultrasound ……………………………...54
6.2.4 Expectations of pregnant women from
antenatal ultrasound…………..54
6.2.5
Feelings after the scan………………………………………………….55
6.3
Recommendations………………………………………………………………..55
6.3.1
Suggestions for further studies…………………………………………57
6.4
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..57
Tafadzwa, C (2018). Knowledge, expectations and beliefs of pregnant women on antenatal ultrasound.. Afribary.com: Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/knowledge-expectations-and-beliefs-of-pregnant-women-on-antenatal-ultrasound
Chikura, Tafadzwa. "Knowledge, expectations and beliefs of pregnant women on antenatal ultrasound." Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 19 Dec. 2018, https://afribary.com/works/knowledge-expectations-and-beliefs-of-pregnant-women-on-antenatal-ultrasound . Accessed 07 Mar. 2021.
Chikura, Tafadzwa. "Knowledge, expectations and beliefs of pregnant women on antenatal ultrasound.". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 19 Dec. 2018. Web. 07 Mar. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/knowledge-expectations-and-beliefs-of-pregnant-women-on-antenatal-ultrasound >.
Chikura, Tafadzwa. "Knowledge, expectations and beliefs of pregnant women on antenatal ultrasound." Afribary.com (2018). Accessed March 07, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/knowledge-expectations-and-beliefs-of-pregnant-women-on-antenatal-ultrasound