Awareness of Obstetric and Newborn Danger Signs Among Rural Pregnant Women in Belagavi: A Community - Based Cross - Sectional Study

Sandhya Gowthaman; Deepti M Kadeangadi; Shivaswamy M S

doi:10.51957/Healthline_731_2026

Authors

Sandhya Gowthaman Assistant Professor, Community Medicine Department, Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Karnataka, India Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8089-9818
Deepti M Kadeangadi Professor, Community Medicine Department, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), KAHER, Belagavi, India Author
Shivaswamy M S Professor, Community Medicine Department, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), KAHER, Belagavi, India Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2152-7357

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51957/Healthline_731_2026

Keywords:

Antenatal women, Awareness, Danger signs, Newborn, Rural

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, as per WHO Statistics 2017, approximately 810 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal morbidity and mortality could be prevented to a greater extent if women and their families recognize obstetric danger signs and thus reduce the delay in seeking health care at the right time. Objectives: The study was done to assess the awareness of key danger signs in pregnancy, labour and childbirth, postpartum (first two days after delivery) and in newborn during first seven days after delivery among rural pregnant women. Methods: A community based cross – sectional study was conducted among 400 pregnant women who had completed 28-week gestation in the rural field practice area of a Primary Health Centre, Belagavi, Karnataka for one year from 1^st January 2019 to 31^st December 2019. Stratified purposive sampling method with population proportionate sampling was used across nine sub-centers. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 24.3±3.6 years. Out of the 400 pregnant women in the study, 73 (18.2%) had good awareness about obstetric and newborn key danger signs. Those who were in ≥ 25 years age group (AOR:3.259, p<0.001), those who belonged to upper and middle socio-economic class (AOR:2.600, p=0.002) and multigravida (AOR:10.205, p<0.001) were positively associated with better awareness about the key danger signs. Conclusion: Two out of ten pregnant women were having good knowledge about the danger signs during pregnancy, labour and childbirth, postpartum and newborn. Good awareness was associated with age, socio-economic status and gravida.

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