Impact of Health Education on Knowledge and Preventive Behaviour for Pregnancy Related Issues in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

Volume 2 - Issue 1

Mutlaq Khelaif Aldhafeeri¹, Khalid Faisal Alahmadi², Abdulrahman Mohammed Alalyani³, Ameen Naeem makhdoom⁴, Rami Abdullah Abotalib⁴, Talal Jahaz Almutairi⁴ and Ammar AL-Farga⁵*

Received: November 19, 2019;   Published: November 27, 2019

DOI: 10.26717/CTBB.MS.ID.000126

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Abstract

Healthcare during pregnancy, which includes prenatal and preconception care, is very crucial for pregnant women in terms of minimising the effects of different complications and issues during pregnancy. Health education is vital to increase self-knowledge and preventive behaviour among pregnant women regarding preconception related complications. One of the main purposes of health education for pregnant women is to promote self-care behaviour during the prenatal period, and this may lead to a decreased morbidity and mortality rate, improve the quality of life of pregnant women and reduce healthcare costs. A few studies have focused on the health management of pregnant women in Saudi Arabia; however, they have not especially focused on the impact of health education in terms of improving awareness of a healthy lifestyle and minimising the risk factors and complications related to pregnancy. Therefore, this study aims to review the existing literature to understand the impact of health education for pregnant women in Saudi Arabia in relation to promoting a healthy lifestyle during the preconception period as well as reducing the associated risks and complications which are common throughout pregnancy.
In order to perform a systematic literature search for a comprehensive literature review, numerous sources were identified, which were obtained from methodical searches of bibliographical records. Additional resources were obtained by hand searching the bibliographies of review articles, peer-reviewed journals and primary studies to gather information on clinical trials in relation to pregnancy related health education among Saudi women aimed at reducing risks and complications through prenatal care.
Although pregnancy related health education strategies have been implemented in Saudi Arabia for more than two decades, only a small population is well-informed about pregnancy-related health information. Therefore, proper pregnancy-related health educational strategies need to be undertaken by healthcare professionals and physicians at the prenatal health care centres in Saudi Arabia to guide and educate pregnant women in relation to different psychological issues and clinical complications related to their pregnancy. This will ultimately help them to increase their self-awareness and preventive behaviour throughout the course of their pregnancy as well as during the prenatal and perinatal periods. In conclusion, organized prenatal health education and training may greatly affect the adequacy of health education during pregnancy, the wellbeing of pregnant women and, in the long run, the overall health of the female population of Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Pregnancy; health education; self-efficacy; self-monitoring behaviour; Saudi Arabia

Abstract| Introduction| Aim and Objectives| Materials and Methods| Data Collection and Analysis| Discussion| Potential Methods for Communicating Health Education and Pregnancy-Related Knowledge| Conclusion| Appendix| References|