Knowledge and Attitudes of Midwives Concerning the Interpretation and Use of Cardiotocographs in Jordan

A midwife needs to know how to assess fetal heart rates, recognize and interpret fetal heart patterns, report any substandard patterns, and initiate supportive measures as necessary.

This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitudes of midwives concerning the interpretation and use of cardiotocographs.

This cross-sectional study involves 183 midwives working in maternity units across all Jordanian regions. An online survey was used to collect data, including 6 demographic questions, 10 questions about knowledge, and 25 questions about attitude. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean±SD, No. [%]), ANOVA, and the Pearson correlation tests. The significance level was set to be <0.05.

Most participants were 21 to 30 years old, and most midwives (59.6%) had no more than six years of experience. The result showed that the total scores for the knowledge and attitude regarding cardiotocographs (CTGs) interpretation and usage were 68.7% and 73.0%, respectively. There is a significant relationship between the knowledge about the interpretation and use of CTGs and the years of experience (P=0.003), with higher knowledge scores among midwives with fewer than 6 years of experience. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between the knowledge of CTGs and level of education (P=0.002), indicating higher knowledge scores among midwives with a degree. The knowledge about classifying the CTG traces was significantly correlated with the region of work (P=0.018), with higher scores among midwives from the southern region. Finally, there was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r=0.007, P<0.05).

Based on the study result, the participant’s knowledge and attitudes are not satisfactory; thus, comprehensive education and training should be prioritized to improve midwives’ knowledge and attitudes toward using cardiotocograph.