Effect of Education on Adherence to Recommended Prenatal Practices among Indigenous Ngäbe–Buglé Communities of Panama

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess the adherence of Ngäbe–Buglé women to WHO-recommended prenatal practices. The secondary objective was to compare adherence levels between women who received prenatal education from official medical providers and those educated through traditional or community-based sources within Ngäbe–Buglé communities. Materials and Methods: An eight-question survey was verbally administered to 137 Ngäbe–Buglé women at clinics set up by the non-profit NGO Floating Doctors in eight communities. A two-sided Fisher’s Exact test with a p = 0.05 was used to compare the results of mothers who received prenatal education from evidence-based sources to other groups. Results: Out of the 137 surveyed women, 65 reported taking prenatal vitamins, 21 had prenatal check-ups, 136 avoided alcohol, 31 increased caloric intake, and 102 maintained their activity levels. Significant differences were observed in prenatal vitamin adherence between those educated by official sources versus unofficial sources (p = 0.0029) and official sources compared to those with no prenatal education (p < 0.0001). The difference was also significant for education from an unofficial source versus no education (p = 0.0056). However, no significant differences were found in other prenatal practices based on education sources. Conclusions: Our findings highlight deficiencies in both prenatal education and adherence to recommended practices among Ngäbe–Buglé women. Prenatal education significantly improved adherence to taking prenatal vitamins, suggesting its effectiveness as an intervention. Future interventions should prioritize culturally competent prenatal education and address barriers to accessing prenatal healthcare in Ngäbe–Buglé communities.