Knowledge, attitude and perception of pregnant women toward prenatal ultrasound at the Tertiary Care Hospital of Quetta, Pakistan.

Abstract

Background Prenatal ultrasound has been an integral part of routine prenatal care for decades and is a noninvasive and widely accessible method for assessing fetal development. Ultrasound allows visualization of the fetus and the detection of structural anomalies, contributing to comprehensive prenatal care. Therefore, this study aims to determine pregnant women’s knowledge, attitude, and perception towards prenatal ultrasound in the tertiary care hospital of Quetta, Pakistan. Methods This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, from January 2024 to April 2024. A total of 614 pregnant women were interviewed by a non-probability convenient sampling technique. Knowledge, attitude and perception of the participants were assessed by a questionnaire. The data was then analyzed by SPSS ver. 21. Results This study revealed notable demographic disparities, such as a significant portion (58.6%) of pregnant women lacking formal education, and 48.4% of pregnant women reported a history of congenital anomalies. A substantial proportion (52.4%) exhibited poor knowledge, while 47.2% displayed a positive attitude toward prenatal ultrasound. However, a considerable percentage (56.4%) demonstrated poor perception. Cross-tabulation analyses revealed significant associations between demographic factors and knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions, highlighting the influential role of education and previous experiences, with all associations having a p value < 0.001. Conclusion This study highlights pregnant women's negative perceptions and poor attitudes toward prenatal ultrasound and reveals notable knowledge gaps despite generally positive awareness levels and widespread prior ultrasound use. These findings can help in developing targeted interventions to enhance knowledge in the form of counselors, which