A descriptive cross-sectional study of 350 women attending prenatal care services was performed. Interviews were conducted at 4 public-health centers in Zarqa, Jordan, using a structured questionnaire. Awareness was defined as 鈥渒nowing at least 4 danger signs and symptoms鈥?
Overall, 84.8%of the women interviewed were not aware of danger signs and symptoms of pregnancy complication. Sociodemographic factors鈥攊ncluding duration of education and current employment; husband's duration of education; family size; and whether women were given information about danger signs and symptoms鈥攚ere associated with awareness in a binary analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that education level of study participants, their husbands' education level, and receiving information about danger signs and symptoms were all associated with awareness (P = 0.02 for all associations).
Awareness of danger signs and symptoms of pregnancy complication among women in Jordan is low. A need exists to provide prenatal care that includes sufficient information about pregnancy-related danger signs and symptoms to meet the need for safe motherhood, as pointed out by the Millennium Development Goals.