Investigating the effect of familiarization with wound care after cesarean section through multimedia in reducing wound complications

BACKGROUND: Wound infection and dehiscence are common complications following childbirth. This study aimed to investigate the effect of multimedia-based education on cesarean section wound care in reducing postoperative wound complications among women undergoing cesarean delivery. METHODS: A semi-experimental clinical trial was conducted on 360 post-cesarean women divided into three groups: Group A1 received face-to-face training with educational content, Group A2 received only educational content, and a control group received routine care. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics and awareness across knowledge, attitude, and performance domains. A wound complication checklist was completed one week after discharge. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. FINDINGS: Pre-intervention knowledge scores did not differ significantly among groups. Post-intervention, the control group scored lower than both A1 and A2 groups (P < 0.001). One week after discharge, wound site pain was significantly higher in the control group compared to A1 and A2 (P < 0.05). Clinically, wound site infection occurred in 35% of the control group, compared to 23% in A1 and 25% in A2; however, these differences were not statistically significant. No significant difference in satisfaction was observed between the experimental groups (P > 0.05), and participants in both A1 and A2 reported high satisfaction with the educational content. CONCLUSION: Multimedia-based education on cesarean wound care effectively improves knowledge and reduces postoperative pain, supporting its use as a complementary intervention to standard care. Both face-to-face and content-only educational strategies were well-received by participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study was registered with the Iranian Trial Center (IRCT Number: 20160709028844N4) in date of 12.24.2024.