The Effect of Health Education on Pregnant Women’s Knowledge of Caring for Newborns at Harapan dan Doa Hospital in Bengkulu City in 2026

Abstract

 RAccording to WHO (2024), the neonatal period or the first 28 days of life is the most vulnerable period to various diseases and health disorders. In 2022, millions of newborns experienced health problems that required immediate treatment. Although neonatal health services have continued to improve since 2000, the neonatal period remains the riskiest phase, with almost half (47%) of all health problems occurring in the current period. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of providing health education on the knowledge of pregnant women in caring for newborns at Harapan and Doa Regional Hospital, Bengkulu City. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. A purposive sampling technique was applied to recruit 32 pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Harapan dan Doa Regional General Hospital, Bengkulu City. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate statistical analyses to evaluate changes in participants' knowledge before and after the health education intervention. Results: Before the intervention, most respondents (81.3%) had poor knowledge regarding newborn care. After receiving health education, the majority of respondents (59.4%) demonstrated good knowledge. Bivariate analysis revealed a statistically significant effect of health education on pregnant women's knowledge regarding newborn care, with a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Health education significantly improved pregnant women's knowledge of newborn care at Harapan dan Doa Regional General Hospital, Bengkulu City. The findings suggest that integrating structured health education into antenatal care programs may enhance maternal preparedness and improve newborn care practices. Therefore, healthcare institutions are encouraged to strengthen educational interventions for pregnant women as part of routine maternal health services.