Pregnant women’s knowledge, attitude, and associated factors toward obstetric ultrasound in public hospitals, Ethiopia, 2021: Multi-centered cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Obstetric ultrasound is a harmless, cheap, and noninvasive imaging modality that helps to scan a pregnant mother and delivers parents with a real-time image of the fetus. As the number of pregnancies rises globally, the demand for obstetric ultrasound becomes even more pressing. OBJECTIVES: To assess pregnant women’s knowledge, attitude, and associated factors toward obstetric ultrasound in public hospitals, Ethiopia. METHODS: Institutional based cross-sectional study was employed. Systematic random technique was used to select 419 pregnant women from 10 April 2021 through 2 June 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data during a face-to-face interview. Then the data were coded, cleaned, and entered into Epidemiological data version (EPIDATA) 3.1 and exported to the statistical package for Social Science version 23.0 for analyses. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify statistically significant associations between dependent and independent variables. The odds ratio at 95% confidence interval with p-value 0.05% was considered statistically significant. RESULT: The majority of the study participants, 179 (42.8%), have ages ⩾ 25 years. Magnitude of having good knowledge and positive attitude of pregnant women toward obstetric ultrasound was 35.5% and 69.5%, respectively. Residence (adjusted odds ratio: 3.934; 95% confidence interval: 3.125–6.761), educational status (adjusted odds ratio: 3.614; 95% confidence interval: 1.986–5.964), and parity (adjusted odds ratio: 2.7621; 95% confidence interval: 1.68–3.275) were significantly associated with knowledge. Whereas exposure to obstetrical ultrasound in current pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 2.726; 95% confidence interval: 1.632–3.629), knowledge on obstetrical ultrasound (adjusted odds ratio: 3.92; 95% confidence interval: 1.324–3.120), and educational status (adjusted odds ratio: 2.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.337–3.381) were significantly associated with attitude. CONCLUSION: The level of good knowledge and positive attitude toward obstetric ultrasound was 35.5% and 69.5%, respectively, and it can be improved with appropriate interventions like ensuring the practice of obstetric ultrasound scan to all antenatal women. Obstetric care providers at the antenatal care units should advice pregnant women for obstetric ultrasound scan as per World Health Organization recommendations of one obstetric ultrasound scan before 24 weeks of gestation.