Knowledge and Perception Towards Surgical and Assisted Vaginal Deliveries Among Nigerian Women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30442/ahr.1101-07-271Keywords:
Assisted Vaginal Delivery, Caesarean section, Intrapartum care, Maternal mortality, Surgical deliveryAbstract
Background: Surgical interventions directly correlate with maternal and newborn health outcomes when medically indicated as emergency measures during childbirth. Many women in developing countries consider unaided vaginal deliveries as the only culturally acceptable method of childbirth and any other intervention is inappropriate.
Objectives: To assess pregnant women’s knowledge and perception of surgical and assisted vaginal delivery in southwest Nigeria.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of two hundred and twenty women who attended the antenatal and immunisation clinics of Babcock University Teaching Hospital (BUTH). Semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to elicit data. Knowledge and perception were graded as good and poor.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.9±6.6 years. About three-fifths (62.7%) of the participants had good knowledge of caesarean section and assisted delivery. Another three-fifths (59.1%) of the respondents also perceived caesarean and assisted delivery well. Age and marital status were statistically significantly associated with knowledge (p = 0.006 and 0.034, respectively).
Conclusions: Most of the participants had good knowledge and a good perception of caesarean section and assisted vaginal delivery. The implications of the findings of this study will include policies and programmes that will further consolidate this propensity.
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