Authors: Christiana Asiedu, Enyonam Ama Edzeani.
Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the awareness and perception of expectant mothers on neonatal jaundice in Ghana.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design, employing quantitative approach was used. Convenient and purposive sampling technique was employed in sampling 334 expectant mothers for the study. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire and was analysed using IBM SPSS version 26.0 with descriptive and chi-square statistics.
Results: Majority of the responses were between the ages of 30 -34years (32.9%; n = 110), never married (57.8%; n = 193). Findings from the study concluded that a vast majority of the respondents knew about NNJ (87.1%; n =291) and consider infections (57.2%; n = 191) as a possible cause of NNJ. 85% (n= 285) of the respondents agreed that the mode of delivery could have led to the neonatal jaundice. It emerged in the study that there is a significant relationship between the level of awareness and perception of neonatal jaundice among expectant mothers in GPHA Hospital (p<0.05), X2 (24, N = 334) = 568.04, p = 0.000. About 52% (n = 182) of the mothers agreed that they engage in home treatment with local herb mediations in managing and treating children with NNJ. Per the results, 82.3% (n = 275) of the respondents agreed that the severity of the sickness (NNJ) affect their decision in management and treatment.
Conclusion: It was recommended that targeted public enlightenment program and education on identification of common newborn illness and safe initial home interventions during antenatal and postnatal sessions need to be intensified to help reduce morbidity and adverse events associate with Neonatal Jaundice.