PERCEPTION OF POST-NATAL MOTHER ABOUT MIDWIVES ATTITUDE DURING LABOUR AT CENTRAL HOSPITAL SAPELE, DELTA STATE
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this research work is to ascertain perception of postnatal mothers about midwives attitude during labour at Central Hospital Sapele, Delta State. This study is of great importance because the attitude of midwives to women during labour will affect them either positively or negatively invariably affecting the outcome of labour and also influence their decision to patronize the health facility or not during their subsequent pregnancies. The objectives of this study include the following; to find out the level of relationship that exists between the client and midwife during labour, to find out if midwives are kind and empathetic while discharging their duties and to know how mothers perceived the attitude of midwives during labour. The significance of this study is to provide information to improve the attitude of midwives towards women in labour. It will also make midwives to rise up to their responsibilities of caring for the woman in labour. The non-experimental survey research was used and a convenient method of non-probability sampling technique was used to select samples for study, questionnaire was used for data collection. (120) questionnaires were distributed, same retrieved. The data collected were analyzed using frequency table and all information obtained were recorded. The findings revealed that postnatal mothers have good perception about midwives attitude during labour. In conclusion, the researcher suggested that similar studies should be conducted in remote villages where there is high rate of maternal mortality so as to discover the reason why women do not patronize the hospital for delivery.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study World Health Organization (2007) estimated that over half a million women in developing countries die each year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, leaving at least one million children motherless and so one feasible way of reducing this mortality rate is to improve the quality of maternal services.In Nigeria with a population of 140 million people with women of child bearing age constituting about 31 million, only about 40% of the deliveries are attended to by trained midwives (Midwives Serves Scheme, 2009). Every pregnant woman looks forward to the day she will deliver. Women throughout the ages have depended upon a skilled person usually woman to be with them during labour. In the practice of safe delivery therefore, the midwife is expected to be courteous, patient and attend to client’s/patient’s need immediately when taking delivery. McCrea, Wright and Murphy-Black (2008) examined the influence of midwives’ approaches on the care given to women for pain relief during labour and their findings revealed that the midwives approach had a positive influence on the women’s experience of labour pain. Myles (2009), defined labour as the expulsion of the foetus, placenta and membranes through the birth canal. Labour is a very stressful life experience of women and so the attitude of midwives during labour will either affect them positively or negatively. The emotions of the woman in labour greatly influence her reaction to discomfort and pains and are the contributing factor in determining the amount of physical and mental exhaustion she will experience, hence the whole process of childbearing should be handled with sensitivity and compassion.
