Maternal Knowledge of Antenatal Care, Teratogens and Patient Satisfaction in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Rawalpindi /Islamabad: a Cross-Sectional Analytical Study

Objective: To assess maternal knowledge of antenatal care teratogens and to determine patient satisfaction among women visiting tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Two Tertiary Care Hospitals of Rawalpindi/ Islamabad, Pakistan from Jan to May 2023. Methodology: The study was conducted on pregnant females visiting tertiary care hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad from January to May 2023. Participants aged 18-45 were recruited through a convenience sampling technique. A pre-tested questionnaire comprising socio-demographic and Likert scale scoring regarding knowledge of antenatal care teratogenic medicine and consultation satisfaction was used. Differences in scores by age, perinatal status, education, and income were analysed. Results: The study included 120 participants, of which 86(71.7%) were less than 30 years of age, 34(28.3%) were more than 30 years, and 47(39.5%) of the women had attended school till matriculation. The median knowledge of antenatal care score was 69.3(79.6-58.7), teratogen score was 85.1(95.3-74.5) and patient satisfaction score was 73.4(79.7-66.3). The patient’s status (p<0.001), peri-natal status (p=0.013), the patient’s education (p<0.001), husband’s education (p<0.001), and the family income (p<0.001) had a significant effect on the antenatal knowledge scores. The education (p<0.001). husband’s education(p=0.018) and the family income (p=0.003) significantly effected knowledge of teratogens score. Conclusions: Knowledge of antenatal care and teratogens was higher among younger women and peri-natal patients with higher socioeconomic levels and education. Despite the general satisfaction with consultations, there were knowledge gaps in significant ANC components, like early checkups and health screenings,