Mentoring Pregnant Women to Enhance the Utilization of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook

Abstract

The suboptimal utilization of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook (MCH Handbook) can result in low coverage and low completion rates. Efforts to increase the utilization rate of the MCH Handbook include mentoring pregnant women on how to complete and utilize the MCH Handbook. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring in improving knowledge and completion rates of the MCH Handbook among pregnant women in the community. This study used a one-group pretest and posttest design, involving 40 purposively selected pregnant women at the Tanah Kali Kedinding Community Health Center in Kenjeran District, Surabaya. Knowledge was measured using a questionnaire, while completion rates were measured through observation. The results were then compared before and after the training. The study results showed an increase. This community service activity used a focused group discussion method. This activity increased the knowledge of pregnant women by 92.5%, while the utilization rate of the MCH Handbook, in terms of completion rates, increased by 100%. It was concluded that the training successfully increased the knowledge and completion rates of the MCH Handbook among pregnant women.

Keywords: maternal and child health handbook; pregnant women; mentoring