Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a common disorder worldwide and many affected babies become brain-damaged due to delay in seeking medical consultation. In order to assess the awareness and knowledge of expectant mothers about NNJ, women who registered for antenatal care at a tertiary health facility in the South-western part of Nigeria were consecutively recruited and interviewed by means of a questionnaire. There were 189 participants whose mean age was 30.1?±5.2 years. Median parity was 2. Twenty-five (13.2%) of them completed primary education while 88 (46.6%) attended a tertiary institution. All the 189 participants have heard of NNJ, mainly from co-workers - 77 (40.7%) and hospital staff - 73 (38.6%). One hundred and seven respondents (56.6%) knew how to check a baby for NNJ correctly while only 12.2% knew some causes. Ninety-five (49.7%) did not know any danger sign of NNJ and 58 (30.7%) erroneously believed in the efficacy of drugs. Similarly 28 (14.8%) respondents wrongly believed in the use of unproven local remedy. None of the 189 would-be mothers knew any effective preventive measure. It is concluded that expectant mothers do not have adequate knowledge about NNJ. This can hinder effective management of jaundice in their unborn children. Greater public enlightenment campaign is recommended.
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