THE EVALUATING EFFECT OF EDUCATION ON KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF NULLIPAROUS WOMEN TOWARD THE DELIVERY METHOD

Sharp increase in the cesarean rate, has become the major problem in health care system. Wrong believes, wrong attitudes, and lack of awareness are the base of decision making toward delivery method. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of education on knowledge and attitude of pregnant women. In this quasi experimental study, 200 nulliparous women (gestational age 24 to 32 W) in Boukan district, without normal vaginal delivery (NVD) ban, randomly allocated into control and training group with equal size (95). Four weekly educational sessions held for training group. A validated Questionnaire was used for data collection. Paired and independent T test and analysis of covariance at a significance level of 5% were used to compare group mean scores. The increase in scores of knowledge (from 2.79 to 12.29) and attitude (from 47.24 to 54.98) in training group was statistically significant. In the control group, changes in the scores of knowledge (from 3.61 to 4.10) and attitude (45.99 to 46.80) were not significant. The scores of knowledge and attitude changed significantly before and after in both groups(P <0.05). Due to the efficacy of education on increasing the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women to choose the method of delivery, it is recommended that this course of prenatal care should be given to all women to reduce the caesarean section.