Partnering with Expectant Mothers to Identify Pregnancy Risk Factors

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FORMOSA NEWS - Kupang - Midwife-Mother Partnerships and Poedji Rochjati Scorecards Revolutionize Early Detection of Pregnancy Risks. Expectant mothers can actively identify their own pregnancy risks and make timely healthcare decisions through a collaborative partnership model with midwives. A team of researchers from the Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health in Kupang (Poltekkes Kemenkes Kupang), led by Melinda Rosita Wariyaka alongside Mariana Ngundju Awang, Linda Risyati, and Namsyah Baso, conducted a targeted health education and screening initiative in 2026 to improve maternal health outcomes. Published in the Asian Journal of Community Services, the project demonstrates how simple scoring tools combined with direct education empower pregnant women in rural Indonesia to prevent life-threatening maternal complications.

Maternal mortality remains a critical global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. In provinces like East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, high maternal mortality rates are frequently driven by poor access to quality healthcare, socio-demographic factors, limited family awareness, and a lack of two-way communication between health workers and patients. While most maternal deaths result from preventable complications, traditional antenatal care often fails to engage mothers as active participants in risk assessment. Strengthening equal, communicative partnerships between midwives and pregnant women is essential to ensure early detection, timely referrals, and proper management of high-risk pregnancies.

To address this gap, the researchers implemented a direct counseling and practical demonstration program at the East Penfui Sub-Health Center (Pustu Penfui Timur), located within the operational area of the Tarus Health Center in Kupang Regency. The team evaluated 20 pregnant women using structured questionnaires before and after the educational intervention to measure changes in maternal health knowledge. In addition to lecture-based counseling on pregnancy risks and potential complications, the researchers trained participants to use the Poedji Rochjati Scorecard (KSPR)—a national screening tool designed to categorize pregnancy risk levels. Participants practiced self-assessment by filling out the scorecard items, receiving real-time guidance from midwives to confirm medical conditions.

The educational intervention produced a significant improvement in maternal health literacy among the participants:

• Baseline Knowledge: Before the session, 65 percent of participants possessed good knowledge, 30 percent had moderate knowledge, and 5 percent showed poor knowledge.
  
• Post-Intervention Knowledge: Following the counseling and hands-on practice, 100 percent of participants in the poor knowledge category moved up to moderate, while the majority of those in the moderate category advanced to the good knowledge level, resulting in a overall knowledge rate of 65 percent good, 30 percent moderate, and only 5 percent low.
  

The application of the Poedji Rochjati Scorecard revealed critical variation in the risk profiles of the participants:

• Low-Risk Group (KRR): 55 percent (11 participants).
  
• High-Risk Group (KRT): 40 percent (8 participants).
  
• Very High-Risk Group (KRST): 5 percent (1 participant).
  

These screening results highlight that nearly half of the participants fell into high-risk or very high-risk categories, requiring intensive clinical monitoring and specialized care plans. Common underlying risk factors included maternal age, high parity (multiple previous births), birth spacing issues, and unmonitored pre-existing medical conditions. Identifying these factors early allows midwives to establish targeted intervention plans, schedule regular follow-ups, and coordinate timely referrals to advanced health facilities.

The study emphasizes that transforming passive patients into informed partners fundamentally alters maternal healthcare delivery. As Melinda Rosita Wariyaka and her colleagues at Poltekkes Kemenkes Kupang observed, effective risk factor education based on the Poedji Rochjati Scorecard serves as both a clinical screening mechanism and a tool for women's empowerment, strengthening maternal independence and compliance with regular antenatal visits. The findings offer actionable strategies for healthcare providers, community leaders, and public health policymakers. Routine implementation of the Poedji Rochjati Scorecard across primary health centers can bridge communication gaps, optimize clinical decision-making, and significantly lower maternal morbidity and mortality rates across regional healthcare networks.

Author Profile
Melinda Rosita Wariyaka, S.ST., M.Keb., is a researcher and lecturer in Midwifery at Poltekkes Kemenkes Kupang. Co-authors Mariana Ngundju Awang, Linda Risyati, and Namsyah Baso are academic experts at Poltekkes Kemenkes Kupang specializing in maternal health, community midwifery, public health education, and reproductive risk management.

Source
Melinda Rosita Wariyaka, Mariana Ngundju Awang, Linda Risyati, dan Namsyah Baso. Partnering with Expectant Mothers to Identify Pregnancy Risk Factors. Asian Journal of Community Services (AJCS). Vol. 5, No. 8, Halaman 591-598
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/ajcs.v5i8.56
URL: https://journalajcs.my.id/index.php/ajcs