Knowledge and Attitude about Painless Labor among Sample of Iraqi Pregnant Women in Baghdad/Al-Karkh Sector

Abstract

Background: Painless labor entails the utilization of many techniques, both  non-pharmacological  and  pharmaceutical,  to  assist  women  in effectively managing the pain experienced during childbirth.
Patients and methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among 400 participants from the 1st of February till 30th of July 2024, to assess their  knowledge,  attitude  regarding  painless  labor,  via  convenient sampling by direct interview questionnaire (20 questions on knowledge an 6 on attitude) after obtaining their agreement and explaining the aim of the study that took 15 minutes to complete, from outpatients of obstetrics & gynaecology clinics of seven governmental hospitals of Al-Kharkh sector, achieved scores of  pregnant women were analysed.
Results: The study included 400 participants, most of them were married at age less than 20 years with residence in an urban area, 65% had poor knowledge, 33% had fair knowledge while only 2%mothers had good knowledge about painless labor, highest good knowledge was with women aged 23-36 years, age at marriage more than 30 years, urban residency, enough family income, High educational level and multipara making statistical significance among others. As regards overall attitude, 55% of participants had negative attitude while 45% had positive attitude towards painless  labor,  urban  residency,  enough  family  income  and  high educational level (college and more) and governmental employee shoes the highest positive attitude towards painless labor reaching statistically significance.
Conclusion:  The  result of  the  study  regarding  knowledge  was unsatisfactory toward painless labor, majority falls in poor category, with variation between age, parity, residency and educational level and more than half of them had negative attitude.