Abstract
Background: Women should be aware of preventive measures against congenital infections transmitted from mother to the embryo, fetus, or baby during pregnancy or childbirth.
Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the awareness of vertically transmitted infections (TORCH) among health care providers, female students in Taif University, and women of reproductive age.
Methods: A cross sectional study was done on a convenient sample of 100 women of reproductive age; 139 female students of Taif university, and 96 health care providers at a primary health care clinic in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect data on the women and students' knowledge of vertically transmitted infections (TORCH). Health care providers were asked about the laboratory tests for serological detection of early infection with the vertically transmitted organisms.
Results: About 87% and 71% of students and mothers respectively, did not know that congenital infections are contagious, and 57.46% and 75% of them did not know that congenital infections can cause congenital anomalies. Both students and mothers with college level of education had a significant higher percentage of those who had satisfactory knowledge. The most common source of the students' information about congenital infection was the media, parents and friends (32.37%) and for mothers, it was the media (65%) then the Gynecologists / Obstetricians.
Conclusion: The deficient knowledge of studied females regarding congenital infections observed in this study calls for health education programs on congenital infections to be directed toward female students and women in the reproductive age. about.