ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to analyze couples’ knowledge, practice, and factors impacting birth preparedness and complication readiness in rural communities along the Oji River. The study’s goals were to determine couples’ knowledge of birth preparedness and complication readiness, couple’s practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness, identify factors that impede couples’ birth preparedness and complication readiness, and establish a link between couples’ socioeconomic status and their practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness. The study was conducted in seven settlements in the Oji River L.G.A., using a cross-sectional descriptive survey research design and a snowball non-probability sampling technique to choose individuals. Surish & Chandrashekera’s formula was used to calculate a sample size of 470. At the 0.05 level of significance, descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to examine the data. Tables, frequencies, means, and standard deviations were used to present the findings. The majority of the couples (78.7%) were educated about birth preparedness and complication readiness. However, information did not translate to practice, as only about 20% of the couples really practiced the recommended degree of birth preparedness. Couples’ practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness was hampered by a considerable financial barrier. All of the socioeconomic variables that were looked. The average monthly income and educational qualification of the couples, as well as their practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness, differed significantly (P 0.05). In conclusion, while the majority of the couple had a strong understanding of birth preparedness and complication ready, knowledge did not always translate to practice, as only a small percentage of them actually practiced the required level of birth preparedness and complication readiness. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that a minor shift in the focus of government maternal and child care initiatives be made, as well as the need to improve transportation facilities suitable for pregnant women in rural regions to improve emergency outcomes.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
True, the birth of a child precedes celebration, but it also raises concerns because pregnancy and childbirth can be a dangerous journey, particularly in developing countries, where the risk of a woman dying from pregnancy and related complications is nearly 40 times higher than in developed countries (Benson & Yinger, 2002). Maternal mortality is still a public health issue around the world, with a global maternal mortality rate of 525 per 100,000 live births per year (Hogan, 2010). Developing countries, such as Nigeria, have a disproportionately high burden of maternal deaths, with a maternal mortality ratio of 500–1,000 per 100,000 live births (World Bank, 2013). Pregnancy, labor, and postpartum problems all contribute to these deaths. According to WHO (2009), maternal mortality in developing countries are thought to be caused by delays in deciding to seek appropriate care, arriving at an appropriate health facility, and receiving proper emergency care once there. If pregnant women and their families are prepared for birth and its consequences, these delays may be reduced. As a result, birth readiness and complication readiness strategies are quite important in this regard. By creating a birth plan that includes birth-preparedness and complication-readiness measures for pregnant women, their partners, and their families, this technique can reduce the number of women dying from complications caused by such delays (McPherson, Khadka, Moore & Sharma, 2006)….
Leave a Comment