Investigating the level of knowledge of first trimester ultrasound in pregnant women in Malta

Abstract

Introduction: Obstetric ultrasound is one of the most common imaging modalities used during pregnancy. Despite the benefits of ultrasound scans throughout the pregnancy, studies have shown that pregnant women’s knowledge of this imaging modality may vary, and thus, pregnant women may be unprepared for an adverse diagnosis. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate pregnant women’s level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan when registering at the local state hospital in Malta. The research objectives outlined included assessing whether the number of previous pregnancies and the women’s age had any influence on their knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound. An additional objective included exploring the relationship between pregnant women’s level of education and their knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound. Moreover, pregnant women’s main source of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan was explored. Methodology: This study adopted a prospective, non-experimental, quantitative research approach, and a questionnaire was used as a research tool. The target population included pregnant women aged 18 years and over who were referred to a first-trimester ultrasound scan at the local state general hospital. The questionnaires were distributed by an intermediatory person who approached pregnant women who registered at the reception desk for a first-trimester ultrasound scan and were asked whether they were willing to participate in this research study. The data was collected over a two-week period. Results: Eighty-two completed questionnaires were obtained from the 90 questionnaires that were distributed, hence an overall response rate of 90.1%. The findings revealed that a good level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan was obtained for more than half (59.8%) of the respondents. Participants between the ages of 18 and 36 years had a good level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan. Meanwhile, participants aged 37 years or over had a moderate level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan. In addition, the majority (74.2%) of multiparous women in this study exhibited a good level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound scan when compared to nulliparous women, with 51.0% of the participants reporting a good level of knowledge. Furthermore, the study participants with a higher or lower level of education reported a good level of knowledge of first-trimester ultrasound. Results indicated that the participants’ main sources of information were doctors, followed by health professionals, media, friends, and family. The study participants were interested to increase awareness of ultrasound scans through the aid of healthcare professionals, followed by media and leaflets. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, several recommendations were made to increase pregnant women's knowledge of ultrasound scans. It can be concluded that future large-scale studies could utilise the findings of this study to explore new ways to improve information delivery to pregnant women during ultrasound scans.