A study to assess effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding postnatal exercise among antenatal mothers at C.H.C, U.P.

Aim: Postnatal exercises play a crucial role in restoring maternal health, preventing musculoskeletal problems and promoting overall well-being after childbirth. However, awareness and knowledge regarding postnatal exercises among antenatal mothers remain inadequate, particularly in community health settings in India. So this study fills the knowledge gap among antenatal mother prior to the postpartum period and avoid postpartum physical problems like, muscle weakness, depression etc. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test-post-test design was adopted. A purposive sample of 60 antenatal mothers in their third trimester was selected. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire comprising 30 multiple-choice questions covering six domains related to postnatal exercises. The Structured teaching programme was delivered through a 45-minute lecture-cum-demonstration in Hindi using audiovisual aids. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted seven days apart. Data were analysed using Statistical Package of Social Science version 28.0; descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, paired ‘t’-test and chi-square test were applied. Results: The mean pre-test knowledge score was 6.05±2.51 (30.25 %), which increased significantly to 14.80±2.13 (74.00 %) in the post-test, with a mean difference of 8.75 and a paired t-value of 18.189 (p0.05). Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was highly effective in improving knowledge regarding postnatal exercises among antenatal mothers, irrespective of demographic characteristics. Integrating such educational interventions into routine antenatal care can significantly promote maternal health literacy, encourage healthy postnatal practices and enhance postpartum recovery.