Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge and Attitude regarding Antenatal Exercises among Antenatal Mothers

 

S. Shenbagavalli

Principal, A. G. Padmavathi College of Nursing, Puducherry.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: shakthinilasri@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Background: Antenatal care is the primary factor in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. It includes like nutrition, immunization, rest and sleep, personal hygiene and exercise. During pregnancy the specific discomforts can be relieved by doing regular antenatal exercises. Objectives: Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercises among antenatal mothers. Design: Quasi-experimental of one group pretest-posttest design was adopted for this study. Setting: Antenatal clinic at Adiparasakthi hospital and research institute, Melmaruvattur. Participants: 60 Antenatal mothers from 16-40 weeks of gestational age fulfilling the inclusion criteria were selected by simple random sampling. Methods: A planned teaching programme was conducted for 45 minutes after pre test. Audio visual aids related to antenatal exercises were demonstrated to the antenatal mothers with the help of B.SC (N) final year students. After 7 days of STP, post test was conducted with the same questionnaire for the same group of mothers. The collected data were tabulated, analysed and interpreted by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: In the post test knowledge out of 60 antenatal mothers, 80% had acquired adequate knowledge, and 78% of them had good attitude in post-test. The paired t-test showed that the teaching programme was statistically significant at p<0.05 level. The knowledge of antenatal mothers has been markedly increased after structured teaching programme. The chi-square test showed a significant association between knowledge and attitude of antenatal mothers with their demographic variables.

 

KEYWORDS: Effectiveness, Antenatal mothers, Exercises.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Planned exercise programme may have long term benefits, such as weight control and decreased in the incidence of ovarian cancer and other benefits may be included as lowered cholesterol level, reduced risk of heart diseases, increased self-confidence and esteem and wellbeing and possible reduction in the case of caesarean birth.1

 

Healthy babies start with healthy mothers. Pregnancy is a natural event, to be of celebraion and joy. But still mothers have common discomforts like back ache, head ache etc.

 

It is not a reflection of hazards to women’s health; it is a period of drastic change in the women’s body. These discomforts are the signs and symptoms that the body is naturally preparing it for a new life.2

 

Moderate exercises during pregnancy stimulate circulation, help to keep joints flexible, create good muscle tone, promote a sense of well-being and strengthen specific muscles in preparation for pregnancy and labour.3

 

Physical exercise is beneficial to the general populations because it promotes good physical health, Exercise is believed to have similar benefits for expectant mothers and is believed to pose to risk to maternal or foetal health.4

 

Botticin (2019) found that antenatal exercise was associated with the significant decrease in the duration of second stage of labour and reduction of in the incidence of obstetrical complications5

 

In Lamaze classes, women no longer spend large amounts of time practicing breathing. Women move, change position, slow dance, sway on birth balls, learn massage and identify the countless other ways they normally relax and find comfort. Each of these comfort strategies can be used in combination with breathing.6

 

In Malaysia, the prenatal care manual is the main local reference for healthcare providers in handling antenatal mothers from pre-pregnancy up to puerperal period. It recognises antenatal exercise as one of the important components of antenatal care. It recommends that pregnant women without medical problems or complications participate in aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening exercises.8

 

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

Pregnant women are encouraged to engage in aerobic and muscle strengthening exercises before, during and after pregnancy. Aerobic or endurance exercise involves movements of the large skeletal muscles including lose in the arms and legs including brisk walking, cycling and aerobic dancing. Pregnant women also benefit from exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, buttock and thigh muscles which are effective in preventing and reducing backaches during pregnancy.7

 

The pregnant women who exercise regularly during pregnancy have an improved course of pregnancy and labour compared to those who lead a sedentary life style. Women’s body undergo various physiological and psychological changes during and after delivery. So to compensate and to go along with that ,the mother should have good knowledge about antenatal exercise and health facilities.9

 

Francis. N stated that during pregnancy backache can be relieved by exercise and maintenance of good posture during sitting and standing taking a short rest periods and wearing a comfortable foot wear during the periods of activity.10

 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercises among antenatal mothers.

 

OBJECTIVES:

1.     To assess the level of knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercises among antenatal mothers

2.     To evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercise among antenatal mothers

3.     To correlate the knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercises among antenatal mothers before and after the structured teaching programme

4.     To determine the association of level of knowledge and attitude regarding antenatal exercise with the demographic data of the antenatal mothers

 

METHODOLOGY:

A Quasi-experimental design was used. This study was carried out in Antenatal clinic at Adhiparasakthi institute of medical sciences and research, Melmaruvathur,

 

Sample size:

A total number of 60 samples were selected for this study

 

Sampling technique:

A Probability simple random sampling technique was used to select the samples.

Instruments:  It consists of

Part 1-Proforma of demographic variables

Part2-Questionnaire to assess the knowledge of antenatal mothers regarding antenatal exercises (15 items)

Part3-A three point Likert scale was used to assess the attitude of antenatal mothers regarding antenatal exercises (15items)

 

Data collection:

Interview method was adopted to collect the data regarding demographic variables, level of knowledge and attitude of antenatal exercises among 60 antenatal mothers. After the collection of demographic variables, structured teaching programme was implemented to the mothers for seven days. Post test data were collected from the same group of antenatal mothers’

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The descriptive analysis of demographic variables showed that 32(53%) mothers were between 18-24 years,44(75%) were Hindu. Regarding level of education 22 (37%) were studied up to high school, regarding family income per month 35(58%) mothers were under the group of less than Rs1000/-

 

The data analysis showed that majority of 18(81.8%) antenatal mothers had middle school education and had adequate knowledge, 15(100%) antenatal mothers had good attitude regarding antenatal exercises.

 

Table 1: Level of knowledge of antenatal exercises among antenatal mothers

S.No

Level of Knowledge

Pre Test

Post Test

No

%

No

%

1

Inadequate

40

76.7

-

-

2

Moderately adequate

14

23.3

12

20

3

Adequate

-

-

48

80

 

 

In Pretest, most of the 46 (76.7%) antenatal mothers had inadequate knowledge and no one had adequate knowledge, regarding attitude 31(51.7%) had poor attitude. In post test 48(80%) had adequate knowledge and 47 (78.3%) had good attitude.

 

Effectiveness of structured teaching programme was analysed for both knowledge and attitude by Paired ‘t’ test.

 

The improvement mean score for knowledge was 20.74 with standard deviation 06.45 and paird t test value was 25.11.It shows the significance at P<0.05.

 

The chi-square test showed a significant (P<0.05) association between knowledge and attitude of antenatal mothers with their demographic characteristics.

 

CONCLUSION:

The overall findings of the study showed that structured teaching programme was effective in improving knowledge and attitude of antenatal mothers regarding antenatal exercises.

 

REFERENCE:

1.      Artal.R, Exercises in Pregnancy, 3rd Edition, London. Saunders Company, 1997

2.      Bennet V, myles text book for midwives, Edinburgh. ELBS 1989

3.      Baker Rooks P. J. The Midwifery Model of Care, Journal of Nurse-Midwifery 1999, 4494)

4.      maternal physical activity.19th Edition SK. Lousis 1990.

5.      Bryanton G, Fraraser H, and Sullivan. Women’s perceptions of Nursing support During Labour. Gogan. 1994

6.      Lamaze F.Painless childbirth. New York; 2002 Mosby B, Journal of Public Health Medicine. 2000; 22(3)

7.      Malays J Med Sci.2020 Effectiveness of an Antenatal Exercise counselling Module on Knowledge and Self-efficacy of Nurses in Northeast Peninsular. May; 27 (3); 84-92

8.      Ministry of Health Malaysia; Perinatal Care Manual, 3rd Edition, Kaula Lumpur.

9.      Dawn C.S., women’s health, a text book of obstetric and neonatology. Calcutta; New Central Publications, 1987

10.   Gupta et.al, A Text Book of Midwifery. 7th edition, London; 1989

 

 

 

Received on 02.05.2023         Modified on 11.06.2023

Accepted on 17.07.2023       ©A&V Publications All right reserved

Int.  J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2023; 11(3):207-209.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2652.2023.00047