Knowledge and attitudes of midwives and nurses towards sonography in pregnancy at Kawempe national referral hospital, Uganda

Abstract

Ultrasound use has become a part of routine obstetric care in Uganda today. In its 2016 antenatal care (ANC) recommendations for pregnant women, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one ultrasound (US) scan before 24 weeks gestation to estimate gestational age (GA), improve detection of fetal anomalies and multiple pregnancies, reduce induction of labour for post-term pregnancy, and improve a woman’s pregnancy experience. Aim The study aimed at assessment of the knowledge and attitudes of midwives and nurses towards sonography in pregnancy at Kawempe National Referral Hospital, the busiest obstetric unit in Uganda. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst midwives and nurse at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. The data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and then entered using Microsoft excel version 2016 to determine percentages, generate tables, graphs and pie-charts. Results: The study findings show that majority of the participants in this study had knowledge about sonography in pregnancy and this is attributed to the fact that 91.4% (n=32) of participants reported to have received formal education/training on sonography in pregnancy as indicated. All participants generally reported a positive attitude towards sonography in pregnancy in that all participants (100%) strongly agreed that they are interested in further information about sonography in pregnancy (table 3). Conclusion: Majority of study participants demonstrated relative basic knowledge and a very positive attitude towards sonography in pregnancy.