Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological and emotional changes, and childbirth remains a source of great fear and worry for a woman giving birth (1, 2). Insufficient knowledge can spread fear and harmful habits among this vulnerable population. Antenatal education (ANE) was therefore introduced to provide parents with the information needed to make informed and safe decisions regarding maternal health, antenatal care, labour, postnatal care and infant care, as well as for their allow them to obtain the necessary parental advice, share their experiences and obtain answers to their questions (3,4,5).
Prenatal course program elements may vary by country and institute. This may include classes focused on childbirth, pain relief techniques, mode of delivery, parenting, breastfeeding, breathing techniques, etc. (6). Additionally, the mode of content delivery can also vary from lectures to educational role-playing games, leaflets, online courses, etc. These teaching sessions are typically provided by childbirth educators, prenatal doulas, nurses, physical therapists, or qualified childbirth educators (7).
Prenatal education has been widely researched to have a significant positive impact on maternal health and practices. In addition to the apparent impact of reducing anxiety and fear of childbirth and improving mothers’ confidence and autonomy, studies have also established an impact on the mode of delivery with prenatal classes leading to a reduction in the cesarean birth rate (5, 8, 9). Additionally, an inverse relationship between ANE and epidural analgesia use and maternal stress has also been established in some studies (ten). Partner involvement throughout pregnancy and childbirth can be increased through targeted antenatal classes. A study conducted in Malaysia also found a decrease in postnatal depression among the population receiving antenatal classes (11). Additionally, ANE may also lead to fewer false labor admissions, thereby reducing hospital burden and allowing for better resource allocation (12).
ANE is considered an essential component of holistic prenatal care, steadily gaining ground globally. This has been an established practice for years in developed countries and is slowly being adopted by developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended antenatal education as a priority intervention to improve birth preparedness, particularly in developing countries (13, 14). However, there is no standard antenatal education program in most developing countries, including Pakistan. With such low literacy levels and cultural practices in Pakistan that prevent women’s access, it is imperative to establish a standard antenatal education program that can improve parents’ knowledge and ability to make decisions regarding pregnancy and childbirth.
In Pakistan, the availability of structured antenatal education is limited to private sector hospitals, where it is often integrated into routine check-ups instead of well-structured educational sessions. The government of Pakistan has implemented a commendable door-to-door maternal education program, where female health workers provide prenatal counseling. However, the program does not follow a standardized, comprehensive curriculum.
The dissemination of prenatal education must be dynamic, constantly evolving to meet the needs and expectations of pregnant women. This quality improvement project aims to assess the antenatal education provided at the main tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, for its adequacy and currency and upgrade it where necessary. In doing so, we also aim to lay the foundation for a comprehensive prenatal program for hospitals across the country.
