Assessing the knowledge and awareness of developmental milestones among ante and post-natal care women in a tertiary care hospital in rural setup

Abstract

Background and Objectives Developmental milestones are key indicators of a child’s physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional growth. Parental knowledge of these milestones significantly influences early detection of developmental delays and timely intervention. Despite global efforts to educate parents, structured studies assessing maternal awareness in non-Western, semi-urban contexts like rural India remain limited.

This study assesses the knowledge and awareness of developmental milestones among ante- natal and post-natal care (ANC and PNC) women attending a tertiary care hospital in a rural setting. It aims to identify knowledge gaps and examine associations between awareness and socio-demographic factors.

Methods A total of 148 women attending ANC and PNC departments of the tertiary care hospital participated. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria included all consenting women visiting during the study period. Data was collected through a self-designed, structured questionnaire based on CDC developmental milestones and Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Statistical analysis was done using MS Excel® 2019, with results presented via frequency distributions and graphs.

Results Of 148 participants, 73% (n=108) were aware of developmental milestones; 27% (n=40) were not. Only 1.35% (n=2) showed good awareness. Most (60.13%, n=89) had moderate awareness; 38.51% (n=57) had poor awareness. Moderate awareness was higher in gross motor (67.57%) and language (60.13%) skills, lower in cognitive (57.53%) and fine motor (52%) domains.

Conclusions Mothers in rural India have limited understanding of developmental milestones. Targeted education and community awareness programs are essential to improve maternal knowledge and support early recognition of developmental issues.