Effectiveness of Education on Knowledge of Early Detection of Anemia in Pregnant Women

Abstract

Anemia during pregnancy remains a major public health concern with significant implications for maternal and fetal health. One contributing factor to its high prevalence is the limited knowledge among pregnant women regarding early detection. Health education serves as a crucial promotive-preventive strategy to enhance awareness of anemia’s signs, symptoms, and risks. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of health education in improving knowledge of early detection of anemia among pregnant women in the Galala Community Health Center working area. A pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design with a quantitative approach was employed. The sample consisted of 30 pregnant women selected using total sampling. Respondents received structured health education on early detection of anemia, and their knowledge levels were assessed before and after the intervention using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate methods, with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test applied due to non-normal distribution. Results indicated a significant improvement in knowledge after education (p = 0.000), with most respondents shifting from poor or moderate knowledge to good knowledge. The study concludes that health education effectively increases pregnant women’s knowledge of anemia detection and should be systematically integrated into antenatal care to prevent anemia and improve maternal health outcomes.