Background: Vaginal candidiasis is one of the most common fungal infections affecting women of reproductive age, particularly during pregnancy due to hormonal, physiological, and immunological changes. Elevated estrogen levels, increased glycogen, and altered immune responses increase susceptibility to Candida overgrowth. In rural India, limited health education and restricted healthcare access compound the problem. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of an informational booklet on improving knowledge regarding the risk of vaginal candidiasis among pregnant women attending selected rural Anganwadi centers in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Methods: Quantitative quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design. Total 300 pregnant women selected by non-probability purposive sampling. Structured knowledge questionnaire of 30 MCQs administered before and after booklet intervention. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (Z-test, Chi-square test). Results: Pre-test mean: 11.24 (37.5%); Post-test mean: 22.68 (75.6%); Z = 15.72 (p < 0.001). Pre-test: 54.0% poor, 36.0% average, 10.0% good. Post-test: 6.0% poor, 30.7% average, 63.3% good knowledge. Significant association found with educational status, monthly family income, gravida, and source of information (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The informational booklet was a highly effective, cost-efficient, and practical educational intervention for improving knowledge regarding vaginal candidiasis risk among pregnant women in rural community settings.
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Raksha et al. (2026) studied this question.
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