PROMOTION OF MULTIPURPOSE HEALTH WORKERS TO MOTIVATE ANTENATAL MOTHERS ON SELF ASSESSMENT OF FOETAL MOVEMENT BY R.RENUKA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR PSG COLLEGE OF NURSING PEELAMEDU,COIMBATORE.

INTRODUCTION  Intra uterine death rate ( 1998 ) Coimbatore % Tamilnadu % India %  There is a need to identify the risk factors at the earliest during pregnancy and to teach the antenatal mothers on self- assessment of fetal well being through fetal movement.

 Multipurpose Health Workers are the one who are in continuous contact with the antenatal mothers and have better opportunities to promote the practice of self-assessment of fetal movement which will ensure fetal well-being.

AIM OF THE STUDY Promoting Multipurpose Health Workers to motivate the antenatal mothers on self - assessment of fetal movement. Assessment of barriers in motivating the antenatal mothers on self-assessment of fetal movement by the MPHWs.

METHODOLOGY The study was carried out in Seethalakshmi Maternity Centre, located at Northern part of Coimbatore city. It is a corporation maternity centre covering 40,000 population. The MPHWs working in this centre were selected for the study.

Reinforcement was done on importance of motivating the antenatal mothers for the self-assessment of fetal movements through education and demonstration. The practice was observed after reinforcement through observation checklist. And also they were interviewed to identify the barriers which prevents them to motivate the mothers on this issue.

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY All the MPHWs have more than ten years of experience in corporation maternity centers. They also have identified the antenatal mothers with decreased and absent fetal movement during their practice. In spite of this, they have not made any attempt in their practice to motivate the antenatal mothers on self-assessment of fetal movement.

It is interesting to note that they were aware that antenatal mothers should be consistently conscious of the fetal movement until the time of delivery. At the same time, it was regretful to know that many of the MPHWs had the opinion that the antenatal mothers need not learn about variations in fetal movement.

It shows that Multipurpose Health Workers were ignorant on importance of teaching the antenatal mothers about fetal movement assessment.

ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE 80% of the MPHWs were teaching and motivating the antenatal mothers during their first and second visit. During the third visit, only 60% of MPHWs motivated the antenatal mothers for the self-assessment of fetal movements regularly.

80% were motivated to maintain fetal movement record during the second visit. During the third visit, only 67% of the mothers monitored fetal movement regularly.

13% of the mothers were employed,so they were unable to concentrate on the regular assessment of fetal movement. 20% did not assess the fetal movement, since they were not aware of the importance.

BARRIERS EXPRESSED BY THE MPHWs 20% of the MPHW identified that mothers were not interested to practice. 40% of them expressed that they have too much to work, as a result of which they could not incorporate this issue. 40% felt that teaching and demonstration needs more time which they can not afford.

BARRIERS IDENTIFIED BY THE RESEARCHER Lack of interest and self awareness on the part of the antenatal mothers. Ignorance of the Multipurpose Health Workers. Lack of knowledge on accessible measures to teach antenatal mothers

CONCLUSION On going education program with periodic monitoring should be done by the Public Health Nurses to enhance the knowledge and practice of Multipurpose Health Workers.

“ IT IS SAID TO BE A PROCESS OF HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES ”