A narrative review of antenatal women’s knowledge and practices concerning minor ailments of pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy is a unique and transformative journey marked by profound anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes that often lead to various minor ailments in pregnancy. Despite being common and often manageable, these ailments are frequently misunderstood by expectant mothers, resulting in misinterpretation of more serious conditions, jeopardizing both feto-maternal health. This review aims to examine the current knowledge and practices among pregnant women regarding these minor ailments. We have searched a thorough electronic database using the keywords “minor ailments of pregnancy” and “knowledge or practice of antenatal women,” and a total of 28 studies were integrated for the review. The findings reveal that most pregnant women have limited to average knowledge and practice of minor pregnancy ailments and rely heavily on traditional remedies or non-pharmacological methods to manage them. Most commonly reported minor ailments include nausea, vomiting, backache, leg cramps, frequent urination, swelling in the legs and constipation. Management strategies include eating sour foods and small, frequent meals for nausea, drinking milk for heartburn, using back support for backache, avoiding prolonged standing for leg cramps and drinking plenty of water to prevent constipation. Importantly, the review identifies age, education level, socio-economic status and parity as significant factors influencing awareness and management strategies. The article underscores the critical need for targeted antenatal education to help mothers recognize and manage minor ailments of pregnancy. Equipping mothers with accurate, culturally sensitive and evidence-based information about common pregnancy ailments results in timely care-seeking behaviour and enhances maternal and neonatal outcomes to ensure safer and more empowered pregnancy experiences.