Self-Care Practices for Common Second Trimester Minor Discomfort: Educational Program

Research Abstract

Background: Minor discomforts, while not life-threatening, can impact a mother's comfort and well-being, and neglecting them may result in serious issues. Often, these discomforts can be alleviated through self-care measures or healthy practices. Aim: The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of an educational program on pregnant women's self-care practices for common second-trimester minor discomfort. Subjects and Methods: Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Sample and Settings: A convenient sample of 358 pregnant women was used at outpatient clinics at Beba Hospital, affiliated with the Ministry of Health, Beni-Suef Governorate. Tools: Three data collection tools were used to carry out the current study: Tool 1: Self-reported practices regarding heart burn questionnaire sheet; Tool 2: Self-reported practices regarding leucorrhea questionnaire sheet; Tool 3: Self-reported practices regarding leg cramps questionnaire sheet. Results: It reveals that after the intervention, the percentage of pregnant women who always kept the head of the bed raised increased from 22.9% to 68.2%. Similarly, those who frequently evacuated the bladder and took medication as prescribed rose from 24.6% to 67.3%. Furthermore, the practice of elevating lower extremities to reduce leg cramps improved from 9.2% to 70.9% posttest. Conclusion: A statistically significant improvement during the posttest among the studied pregnant women’s behaviors regarding heartburn, leucorrhea, and leg cramps compared with the pretest after program implementation. Recommendations: Work along with public health groups to launch nationwide awareness campaigns that inform expectant mothers about common discomforts in the second trimester and provide information on safer pregnancy self-care techniques.

Research Keywords

self-care practices; second trimester; minor discomfort; educational program