The effect of premarital classes on the level of knowledge about pregnancy preparation in preventing stunting

Unplanned pregnancies accounted for 40% of total pregnancies in Indonesia between 2015-2019, which is one of the risk factors for stunting. The national stunting prevalence reached 21.6% in 2022, so the World Health Organization set a target to reduce stunting below 20% by 2024 in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals. This study was conducted to analyze the effect of premarital classes on the level of knowledge of prospective brides regarding pregnancy preparation in preventing stunting. This study used a one-group pre-posttest design to analyze the effect of premarital classes on knowledge about pregnancy preparation to prevent stunting. The study was conducted at the Surabaya Family Learning Center in December 2024, involving 100 respondents who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected through questionnaires administered before and after the class. Variables such as gender, exposure to information, age, education, and income were also considered. Before attending the premarital class, the participants' knowledge level was categorized as good (31%) and poor (30%). After the intervention, 63% of participants reached the excellent category. Wilcoxon test showed a significant increase in knowledge after the intervention (p-value = 0.000). Further analysis showed the effect of gender (Mann-Whitney test p-value pre: 0.001 and post: 0.000) and education level (Kruskal-Wallis test p-value pre: 0.001 and post: 0.005) on the effectiveness of premarital classes. Premarital classes are effective in increasing the knowledge of brides-to-be about pregnancy preparation in preventing stunting. Premarital class programs need to consider gender and education level factors for optimal results.