Do pregnant women prepare and be ready for birth and its complications?

Abstract

Background: Every pregnancy faces unpredictable complications and risks associated with the risk of maternal morbidity, mortality, and neonatal complications. The aim of the study is to determine birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) among antenatal women and their determinants. Methods: The involved a total of 100 pregnant women at a public university hospital in Kelantan state, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: A total of 47.0% of participants were well prepared for their birth and its complications. There were no associations between being well prepared for birth and its complications with parity, gestational age, the total number of antenatal visits, or other sociodemographic data. Conclusion: BPCR among women were still low among women in Kelantan. Knowledge of the danger signs during pregnancy, labor, and the postnatal period among pregnant women is important to reduce maternal mortality.