EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FACTORS AFFECTING NORMAL FETAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AMONG ELIGIBLE COUPLES

Background: Prenatal development includes the development of the embryo and of the fetus during a viviparous animal's gestation. It starts with fertilization, in the germinal stage of embryonic development and continuous in fetal development until birth. The factors which affecting normal fetal growth and development can be due to maternal, placental or fetal. Maternal factors include maternal size, weight, height, nutritional state, anemia, smoking, substance abuse, noise exposer etc. Placental factors include size, microstructure, umbilical blood flow, transporters and binding proteins, nutrient utilization and nutrient production and Fetal factors include the fetus genome, nutrient production, and hormone output. Inappropriate growth and development lead to low birth weight, fetal death.

Objectives: The aim of the study to assess the effectiveness of SIM regarding factors affecting normal fetal growth and development among eligible couples in selected rural community of Bangalore.

Design: A pre experimental one group pre-test posttest design was used for the study.

Subjects: The sample consists of 60 eligible couples in selected rural community of Bangalore.

Methods: A nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for the study.

Results: In the pre-test the sample had inadequate knowledge with the mean of 43.3% and standard deviation of 14.8 % where as in the post test there was significant gain in mean knowledge score of about 87.3% with the standard deviation of 10.1%.

Conclusion:. In the pretest majority of the respondents had inadequate knowledge Whereas in the posttest majority of the respondents had adequate knowledge. Thus the study indicates that he SIM was effective in enhancing the knowledge regarding factors affecting normal fetal growth and development.