Assessment of Maternal Health Literacy of Women Attending Antenatal Healthcare in Ekiti State

There is need to understand maternal health literacy (MHL) among pregnant women, as adequate literacy is crucial for positive pregnancy outcomes. This study assessed the maternal health literacy of women attending antenatal healthcare services in Ekiti State. A cross-sectional design was used to sample 239 pregnant women aged 15–49 years from primary healthcare centres across Ekiti Central Senatorial District. A multistage sampling procedure selected the district, local government areas, healthcare facilities, and Participants, ensuring proportional representation. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire adapted from NNDHS (2018) and WHO (2016), translated into Yoruba for ease of comprehension. The tool assessed socio-demographic characteristics and various dimensions of MHL, including the ability to locate, understand, and use health information. Reliability testing produced a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.783. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive statistics. Ethical approval was obtained from relevant institutional committees, and informed consent was secured from all Participants. The findings showed that the mean age of Participants was 29.32 ± 6.18 years, with the majority possessing at least secondary education. Overall, 56.5% demonstrated moderate maternal health literacy, 40.2% had high literacy, and 3.3% showed low literacy. Strengths were observed in basic literacy, maternal care knowledge, and nutrition awareness, whereas challenges emerged in interpreting prescriptions, searching for health information, understanding appointment dates, and identifying danger signs in pregnancy. The study concluded that most women possessed moderate MHL related to pregnancy nutrition, with a small proportion demonstrating high literacy. Keywords: Maternal health literacy, Antenatal care, Nutrition, Pregnant women, Health information skills,