Conocimiento sobre la importancia del control prenatal en pacientes gestantes que asisten al área de ginecología-obstetricia de un hospital de Guayaquil.

Abstract

Prenatal care is a fundamental strategy for promoting maternal and fetal health, as it enables the timely identification of risk factors, the prevention of complications, and the strengthening of pregnant women’s knowledge about the care required during pregnancy. The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about the importance of prenatal care among pregnant women attending the gynecology and obstetrics department of a hospital in Guayaquil. A quantitative, descriptive, prospective, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 120 pregnant women. Data were collected using a structured survey designed to assess sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge of self-care practices and warning signs during pregnancy. The results showed that 89.2% of the participants had a high level of knowledge, 10.0% had a low level, and 0.8% had a moderate level. Regarding self-care, greater knowledge was identified in relation to vaccination, physical activity, and prenatal care, while the main weaknesses were related to the benefits of prenatal care and iron and folic acid intake. Concerning warning signs, vaginal bleeding was the most widely recognized, whereas blurred vision had the lowest percentage of recognition. It was concluded that pregnant women predominantly had a high level of knowledge about the importance of prenatal care; however, educational strategies need to be strengthened in those aspects where lower levels of knowledge were identified.