Assessment of Pregnant Women's Knowledge Regarding Rhesus Incompatibility

Abstract

Background: Rhesus (Rh) incompatibility is a critical consideration in prenatal care which affect maternal health, particularly for pregnant women who are Rh-negative. Assessing pregnant women's knowledge about Rh incompatibility is paramount in preventing and managing complications associated with this condition. Aim: Assess pregnant women's knowledge regarding rhesus incompatibility. Research design: Descriptive cross sectional research design was utilized. Setting: The study was conducted at antenatal clinic in Women’s Health Hospital, Assiut University. Sample: convenient sample of 300 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics. Tool of data collection: Data were collected by structured interview questionnaire; which consisted of two parts: Part 1: personal data, obstetrical history, and Rh factor data. Part 2: knowledge about Rh factor and Rh incompatibility. Results: The current study findings showed that only 19.7% of the studied women had good knowledge while 58.7% had poor knowledge regarding rhesus factor and Rh incompatibility. There was a high significant relation between total scores of women’s knowledge and their residence, educational level and employment status. Conclusion: About more than half of the studied pregnant women had poor knowledge regarding Rh factor and Rh incompatibility. Recommendations: provide health education supported by drawing pamphlets and brochure about Rh factor and Rh incompatibility for pregnant women. Implementing Rhesus compatibility screening program for intending couples and first time mothers.