Birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Osogbo Metropolis, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

IntroductionHigh maternal mortality is a major problem in Nigeria. Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness will ensure that women can have professional delivery thus reducing obstetric complications. This study assessed the birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Osogbo metropolis, a south western community in Nigeria.MethodsA community based descriptive cross sectional survey was used. A total of 180 women were selected using multistage sampling technique. Pretested semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaires were used to elicit information about previous obstetric history, knowledge of the danger signs of pregnancy and level of birth preparedness. Composite score and mean were computed. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. P-value was set at < 0.05.ResultsThe mean age was 26.11 ± 3.63 years. A total of 51.1% were carrying their 2nd or 3rdpregnancies. A total of 70.8% were aware of danger signs in pregnancy and the commonest danger sign mentioned was bleeding per vagina. In all, 82.1% were well prepared for birth. Being in the younger age group (p = 0.026), being more educated (p < 0.0001) and being aware of danger signs in pregnancy (p < 0.0001) was more significantly associated with being well prepared.ConclusionThe respondents were well prepared for birth with the younger women, educated ones and those knowledgeable of danger signs being better prepared. Continuous education about the Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness should be sustained in order to maintain and improve women's preparedness.

Factors Influencing Birth Preparedness in Rapti Municipality of Chitwan, Nepal

“…Low compliance of ANC worldwide is considered as a hurdle for maternal and neonatal child health programs. In Nigeria, seventy-one percent of pregnant women are aware of the danger signs [10].…”

Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Women of Reproductive Age in Kenya and Tanzania: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

“…In our study, 65% and 73% of the Kenyan and Tanzania women set aside funds, respectively. The proportion was reported lower in other studies that showed 84.1% of women in central Tanzania [13], 87.5% in Rwanda [6] and 92.4% in Nigeria [41]. Central Tanzania hosts the county capital and is a high-income area, with better access to healthcare.…”

“…West Nigeria [41]. This could be explained by differences in the implementation of focused antenatal care and BPCR within a country and across countries [13].…”

Potential factors associated with institutional childbirth among women in rural villages of Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a preliminary study

“…Interventions to encourage birth preparedness and complication readiness during pregnancy have been strongly recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote timely utilization of SBA at childbirth [21]. Birth preparedness can be encouraged by increased maternal knowledge about danger signs; therefore, appropriate health education and counselling during ANC are considered to be a key intervention [5,6]. Moreover, better communication between health workers and mothers is believed to play an important role in building mutual trust, which is essential for acceptability [26].…”

“…Despite this successful overall expansion of health care coverage, service utilization remains low in some regions and countries, and widening inequality in service usage has increasingly become a problem [3]. It has been reported that the disadvantaged women had limited access to health service [4][5][6]. Worldwide, 303, 000 mothers died in 2015 and 2.5 million neonates died in 2017, mostly of preventable causes and due to poor quality maternal and neonatal care [7][8][9].…”