Abstract

Ultrasound is the term used to describe sound of frequencies above 20 MHz, beyond the range of human hearing. Frequencies of 1 MHz to 30 MHz are typical for diagnostic ultrasound.     Despite the numerous benefits of obstetric ultrasound such as dating, confirming viability, and the diagnosis of fetal anomalies, awareness among pregnant women attending still remains low and they do not have enough knowledge on its importance.

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of obstetric ultrasound of pregnant women. This was a hospital based cross sectional study carried out in Hopital Sainte Therese de L’Enfant Jesus de Moutourwa from July 2022 to January 2023. 300 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic for routine checkup irrespective of their parity were randomly selected.

Those among them who gave their consent answered the administered questionnaires. The study showed that despite the health talks women receive during antenatal clinic on obstetric ultrasound, they still have inadequate knowledge on the subject. All of the women had heard of an obstetric scan before.

Most of them (64%) obtained information regarding ultrasound from health providers and the role of media as a source of information was negligible 1 person. With regard to the use ultrasound, most women limited themselves to two use 39% only 7% knew that it could detect malformations.

On the hand, there are still concerns about the harmful effects of the soundwaves on mother and especially on fetus. This inadequate knowledge of pregnant women on obstetric ultrasound may lead to an insufficient use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool. In cases where ultrasound could contribute in early diagnosis and management and/or follow up of some pathologies.  Ultrasound appears safe for clinical practice, there is therefore a need for continuous education through health talks to pregnant women to increase their knowledge on the major uses of obstetric ultrasound scans.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background To The Study

Ultrasound is the term used to describe sound of frequencies above 20 MHz, beyond the range of human hearing. Frequencies of 1 MHz to 30 MHz are typical for diagnostic ultrasound (Harald and Solder, 2011). In ultrasonic imaging, an ultrasonic transducer sends a beam of ultrasound into the subject over a selected area of interest.

At an acoustic boundary such as within tissue, some of the ultrasound energy is reflected, either specularly or by scattering. Under favorable conditions, some of the reflected ultrasound will go back towards the transducer. The returning echo will interact with the transducer and generate an electric signal. This signal will be electronically processed and displayed on a screen (Tole, 2011).

Ultrasound is used in electronics, navigation, industry, medicine and security applications (Rouse, 2014). Ultrasound is used in medicine for therapy and diagnosis in areas that include abdominal, cardiac, maternity, gynecological, urological, cardiovascular examination, breast examination, as well as in pediatric and operational studies (Aladin et al., 2011). Pierre and Jacques Curie, French physicists, in 1880 discovered the piezoelectric effect. Since then up to now, intensive.

Research has been taking place (Graff, 1977). Diagnostic applications of ultrasound began in the late 1940s through collaboration between physicians and engineers familiar with Sound Navigation and Ranging (Hendee, 1989). Today, diagnostic ultrasound is the second most popular medical imaging modality after X-ray (George, 2015). Unlike theother imaging modalities like X-ray and CT scans, ultrasound does not require ionizing radiations (Lena and Palwinder, 2014). Ultrasound was introduced in Obstetrics by Professor Ian Donald in 1958. Routine obstetric ultrasound is playing an important role in improving the antenatal care and

outcome of pregnancy worldwide (Shung, 2011). Obstetrical ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool in pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, some of its indications include, but are not limited to the following: to confirm the presence of an intrauterine pregnancy, to evaluate a suspected ectopic pregnancy, to evaluate vaginal bleeding, to estimate gestational age, and to diagnose or evaluate multiple gestations (Salomon et al., 2013). Indications for second- and third-trimester ultrasound include, but are not limited to the following: screening for fetal anomalies, evaluation of fetal anatomy, and evaluation of cervical insufficiency (Salomon et al., 2013).

Despite these numerous benefits of ultrasound in women, studies reveal that Ultrasound awareness among women still remains low (Joshua et al., 2013). In a study carried out in 2012 at a tertiary university-affiliated hospital in Yaounde specialized in maternal and child healthcare, out of a total of 200 women who were interviewed, 33 respondents (16.8%) on a total of 196 declared that they have never done an ultrasound scan, 19(58.4%) on a total of 190 confessed having received no information on what ultrasound is all about.

About 34 women considered ultrasound to be unsafe as they believe that, ultrasound uses X-rays which can cause cancer (Joshua et al., 2013). The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of obstetric ultrasound in pregnant women in Hospital Sainte Therese de L’Enfant Jesus of Moutourwa

1.2 Problem Statement

Since obstetric ultrasound was introduced to the world of medical sciences in the 1950s, there is not enough knowledge among common people about its importance. On the hand, there are still concerns about the harmful effects of the soundwaves on mother and especially on fetus. This inadequate knowledge of pregnant women on obstetric ultrasound may lead to an insufficient use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool.

In cases where ultrasound could contribute in early diagnosis and management and/or follow up of some pathologies.  Ultrasound appears safe for clinical practice, as no study has yet proven the contrary. It is worthwhile assessing the knowledge pregnant women in Moutourwa have on obstetric ultrasound since some do it because of free “cheque sante” coverage. This will help promote public health awareness through educating people about the importance and benefits of obstetric ultrasound and enhance pregnant women’s knowledge on obstetric ultrasound.

1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 General Objective

This study is designed to assess the knowledge of pregnant women attending antenatal care at Hopital Sainte Therese de L’Enfant Jesus on obstetric ultrasound.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To assess the percentage of pregnant women attending antenatal care at Moutourwa Hospital who have insufficient knowledge of obstetrics ultrasound scans.
2. To assess the percentage of pregnant women attending antenatal care at Hospital Sainte Therese de L’Enfant Jesus de Moutourwa on the importance of obstetric ultrasound scans.

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