AWARENESS OF HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the awareness of health consequences of Sexually Transmitted Infections
among pregnant women in Jigawa State. Cross-sectional research design was used for this study.
The population of the study was estimated to be 252,075 pregnant women in Jigawa State. A multi
stage sampling procedure was used to draw a sample of 500 pregnant women. Researchers
developed questionnaire named Awareness of the Health Consequences of Sexually Transmitted
Infections among Pregnant Women Questionnaire (AHCSTIP- Q) was used as instrument for data
collection. The questionnaire has a reliability index of 0.69. Four hundred and ninety eight (498)
copies of questionnaire were distributed. One sample t-test, independent t-test and Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. The results
revealed that pregnant women have no significant awareness of the health consequences of STIs
among pregnant women (t=45.361; df=497, P=0.001). There is no significant difference in the
awareness of health consequences of STIs based on the age of pregnant mothers (t = 1.046, df=496
p=0.296). There is significant difference in the awareness of health consequences of STIs based on
educational qualification of pregnant women, (F5,492=75.622, p=0.001). Therefore, it is
recommended among others that Jigawa State Ministry of Health and other stake holders should
create awareness to pregnant women on STIs consequences and vaccination women of child bearing
age against vaccine preventable STIs.