Perception and Utilization Status of Insecticide Treated Net among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar (UCTH)

Insecticide Treated Net (ITN) is use for the prevention of mosquito bites causing malaria. The study sought to investigate the perception and utilization of insecticide treated net among pregnant women attending antenatal care in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. To successfully carry out the study, research questions and hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Literature was reviewed based on the research variables. The research instrument used in data collection was a questionnaire designed by the researchers which was administered on 150 pregnant women in UCTH who formed the sample for the study. Their responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages and contingency chi-square. The following results were obtained. Result of findings as presented in table 4 indicate that 93(62%) of the respondents said they have heard about ITN before while 57(38%) said they have not. 90(60%) said they have seen it while 60(40%) said they have not. 96(64%) said ITN is a major tool for prevention of malaria while 54(36%) said it was not. 98(65.3%) said ITN has health benefits while 52(34.7%) said it does not. 108(72%) said the reason for treating the nets with insecticide is to irritate and repel mosquitoes while 42(28%) said it was not. It was observed that in spite of their knowledge of ITN, pregnant women in UCTH did not utilize insecticide treated bed nets. It was recommended that ministry of health should intensify enlightenment campaign on the utilization of ITN.