KAP Study on Contraception in Teenage Pregnancy at Antenatal Care Clinic and Delivery Room in Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practice about contraception in pregnant teenagers.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data collection started from September 2009 to March 2010. Pregnant teenagers, aged 12-19 years old, attending ANC clinic or delivery room at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were enrolled. The questionnaire consists of four parts; demographic data, contraceptive knowledge, attitudes about pregnancy and contraception, and past contraceptive practices. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi square test, t-test and Pearson correlation.Results: A total of 150 complete questionnaires from 285 cases of teenage pregnancy in this study period were collected and analyzed. The mean age of subjects was 17.7 years. Only 52.7% used any contraception at first intercourse. Contraceptive pill was the most common method used (59.5%) and only one-fourth chose condom. Up to 74% of participants were pregnant for the first time and 72% informed that their current pregnancies were unintended. The mean contraceptive knowledge score was 70.0 ± 9.7%. Their knowledge short-acting contraception was significantly more than long-acting contraception (P<.001). There was a correlation between knowledge and use of contraception at first intercourse (P=.012) and a trend of correlation between knowledge and attitude although not significant. Most of teenagers decided to use contraception by themselves. When they had any problems, only 19% went to see a doctor. Sources of contraceptive information were mainly from school teaching and mass media.Conclusion: Knowledge on contraception in pregnant teenagers was in average level. There was a correlation between knowledge and the use of contraception at first sexual intercourse. Most cases decided to use contraception themselves (63.5%). Pills was the most common contraceptive method (63.5%)

Survey on knowledge, attitude, acceptance and related factors among pregnant women in Thailand regarding antenatal thalassaemia screening

Thalassaemia is a common haematologic health condition in Southeast Asian countries (SEA) including Thailand. Reducing the birth of new thalassaemia cases is an effective method to control disease. The background level of knowledge and attitude of pregnant women on the disease influences their decision to perform antenatal screening. Unfortunately, the information about pregnant women’s knowledge and attitude on antenatal thalassaemia screening in a developing country such as Thailand is lacking. We therefore conducted this cross-sectional study to examine patients’ knowledge and to evaluate the factors which influence the patient’s knowledge and attitude on antenatal thalassaemia screening. 1006 pregnant women who attended antenatal care at the Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand were enrolled. We found that women’s knowledge on antenatal thalassaemia screening is low. A maternal age of ≥35 years was associated with a higher level of knowledge. A higher level of education and multigravidity, a family history of thalassaemia and a positive level of attitude were found more likely to have higher scores for knowledge. A higher level of education and level of knowledge score were also more likely to have a positive attitude score, but multigravidity negatively affected the attitude score. Effective counselling should be monitored among women with a lower levels of education, those with no family history of thalassaemia, and in primigravidas. Lastly, a concurrent Down syndrome screening or foetal sex determination may be useful incentives to encourage the decision to undergo screening.Impact statement What is already known about this subject? Screening for the paternal and maternal thalassaemia carrier status is important for reducing the incidence of severely thalassaemia-affected children. Poorer education and receiving genetic counselling for the first time were the predictive factors for the low post-counselling knowledge in genetic counselling before second trimester genetic amniocentesis. What do the results of this study add? Pregnant women’s knowledge of antenatal thalassaemia screening was low. We found that pregnant women aged ≥35 years had a higher level of knowledge. Women with a higher level of education, multigravidity, the presence of a family history of thalassaemia and a positive attitude were more likely to have higher scores for knowledge. A higher level of education and level of knowledge score were also more likely to have a positive attitude score but multigravidity negatively affected the attitude score. The encouraging factors, such as an adjunctive Down syndrome screening or foetal structural screening or foetal sex determination may be useful as the incentive tools. What are the implications of these finding for clinical practice and/or further research? The awareness of a possible incorrect understanding is important for the antenatal counselling in the developing countries. Intensive monitoring of effective counselling using a post-counselling test should be scheduled. The methods of effective counselling for antenatal thalassaemia in developing countries should be evaluated