Investigation of the relationship between risk perception and health literacy in pregnancy

This study was conducted using a descriptive and correlational design to examine the relationship between risk perception during pregnancy and health literacy. The sample consisted of 338 pregnant women who attended prenatal check-ups at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Outpatient Clinic of Bandırma Training and Research Hospital between 8 November 2024 and 8 April 2025. Data were collected using questionnaires consisting of three sections: the "Personal Information Form," the "Pregnancy Risk Perception Scale (PRPS)," and the "Maternal Health Literacy Scale in Pregnancy (MHPS)." SPSS 28.0 and R Studio 4.4.1 software were used for data analysis. The normality of the distribution was assessed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and graphical analysis. As the data were found to be non-normally distributed, nonparametric tests, namely the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests, and Spearman's correlation analysis were applied. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. The mean age of the pregnant women participating in the study was 27 years, and the majority were university graduates, unemployed, and had a balanced income. According to the research findings, the median total PRPS score was 14.3 (IQR = 52.2), the median perception of risk to the baby was 10.0, and the median perception of risk to oneself was 22.9. The median total MHPS score was 83.9 (IQR = 42.2), with median values in the subscales ranging from 79.2 to 87.5. The study found that the participating pregnant women had low levels of risk perception and high levels of health literacy. A statistically significant, high-level, negative correlation was found between risk perception and health literacy (rₛ = −0.86; p < 0.001). The study determined that risk perception during pregnancy decreased as educational level increased, while maternal health literacy levels increased. Pregnant women who smoked had higher risk perception scores and lower health literacy scores. Pregnant women who received prenatal education, tetanus vaccination, and folic acid and iron supplementation were found to have lower risk perception and higher health literacy. The findings indicate that increased health literacy levels reduce risk perception during pregnancy. Accordingly, it was concluded that individualized education and initiatives to strengthen health literacy during pregnancy could be effective in reducing risk perception among pregnant women.