Women’s perception on rights during pregnancy and childbirth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20193020Keywords:
Childbirth, Perception, Pregnancy, Rights, WomenAbstract
Background: The Nigerian health system as a whole has been plagued by problems associated with the quality of service, including but not limited to unfriendly staff attitudes to patients, inadequate skills, decaying infrastructures, and chronic shortages of essential drugs. Approximately two-thirds of all Nigerian women deliver outside of health facilities and without the presence of medically skilled attendants. The study was carried out to assess the awareness and knowledge of women regarding their rights during pregnancy and childbirth, and to explore the extent to which women’s rights were respected during pregnancy and childbirth.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among randomly selected 140 women at Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. Data was collected with a pretested questionnaire and was analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.
Results: Findings revealed that majority (76.9%) of the women had a fair knowledge of their rights in pregnancy and childbirth, with the source of knowledge majorly from their friends. Right to information, informed consent and refusal, even distribution of healthcare services, maintenance of attainable level of health regarding proper monitoring were fairly observed by the health care providers. Right of women against verbal and physical abuse, privacy, treatment with dignity and respect were least accorded to women.
Conclusions: Respective Maternity Care remains a challenge that demands policy interventions in most public health facilities to enhance positive endorsement and utilisation of maternal and health care services.
References
Alkema, Leontine, Doris C, Daniel H, Sanqian Z, Ann-Beth M, et al. Global, regional, and national levels and trends in maternal mortality between 1990 and 2015, with scenario-based projections to 2030: a systematic analysis by the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group. The Lancet.2016;387(10017):462-74.
Van den Broek NR, Falconer AD. Maternal mortality and Millennium Development Goal 5. British Med Bullet. 2011;99:1.
Lanre-Abass, Bolatito A. Poverty and maternal mortality in Nigeria: towards a more viable ethics of modern medical practice. Int J Equity Health. 2008;7(1):11.
World Health Organization. WHO country cooperation strategy 2014-2019: Nigeria.
World Health Organization. WHO statement: the prevention and elimination of disrespect and abuse during facility-based childbirth. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.
Sule T, Baba L. Utilisation of delivery services in Zaria, northern Nigeria: factors affecting choice of place of delivery. East African J Pub Health. 2012;9(2):80-4.
Alliance WR. Respectful maternity care: the universal rights of childbearing women. Washington (District of Columbia): White Ribbon Alliance; 2011.
United Nations General Assembly. The future we want. Resolution. 2012;66:288.
Mojekwu, Nnamdi J, Ibekwe U. Maternal mortality in Nigeria: Examination of intervention methods. Int J Human Social Sci. 2012;2(20):135-49.
Grover, Anand, Citro B. India: access to affordable drugs and the right to health. Lancet. 2011;377(9770):976-7.
Okafor, Innocent I, Ugwu EO, Obi SN. Disrespect and abuse during facility‐based childbirth in a low‐income country. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2015;128(2):110-3.
Rodrigues, César R, Soraya E, Torquato JA, Davim RMB, Oliveira LFM, Alves ESRC, Nóbrega MF. Perception of women on their rights in pregnancy and childbirth. J Nur UFPE/Revista de Enfermagem UFPE. 2016;10:5.
Rosen, Heather E, Lynam PF, Catherine C, Veronica R, Jim R, et al. Direct observation of respectful maternity care in five countries: a cross-sectional study of health facilities in East and Southern Africa. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2015;15(1):306.
Ibitoye, Fatimo O. Developing a culturally congruent continuous labour support framework for women in South-West Nigeria. PhD diss., University of the Western Cape. 2017.
Daniel, Grace, Modupe Oyetunde, Eleri G. Mothers' validation of midwives care in the management of labour pain in Plateau State, Nigeria; 2015.
Morhason-Bello IO, Olayemi O, Ojengbede OA, Adedokun OB, Okuyemi OO, Orji B. Attitude and preferences of Nigerian antenatal women to social support during labour. J Bio Sci. 2008;40(4):553-62.
Onasoga OA, Opiah MM, Osaji TA, Iwolisi A. Perceived effects of midwives attitude towards women in labour in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Appl Sci Res. 2012;4(2):960-4.
Oluyemisi, Adeyemo F, Oyadiran GO, Ijedimma MO, Akinlabi BO, Adewale AJ. Perception of pregnant women towards midwives: attitude and practice during child delivery in health institutions in Ogbomoso, South-West, Nigeria. Epidemiol Biostat Pub Health. 2014;11:2.
Amroussia, Nada, Alison H, Carmen VC, Isabel G. Is the doctor God to punish me?! An intersectional examination of disrespectful and abusive care during childbirth against single mothers in Tunisia. Reprod Heal. 2017;14(1):32.
