AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PERCEPTION OF COMPANIONSHIP DURING LABOUR AMONG PREGNANT AND POST NATAL WOMEN IN A TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTION, BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Labour is an intensive, energy-sapping event that mothers undergo in the course of procreation and it is associated with emotional, psychological and physical morbidities and occasionally mortality. The study was conducted to assess the knowledge and perception of labour companionship among pregnant and post natal women in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used for the study. The respondents of the study consisted of one hundred and forty pregnant and postnatal women in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin. A researcher constructed questionnaire was administered to the pregnant and postnatal women and 140 questionnaires were retrieved. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics- frequency and percentages. Pearson chi-square was used to test for relationship between respondents knowledge and perception of labour companionship and also the relationship between the knowledge and perception of labour companionship among respondents. The study showed that 29.3% of the respondents has correct knowledge of labour companionship. Furthermore, mean response of 3.66 indicated that respondents generally exhibited a poor perception towards labour companionship. There was no significant relationship between the respondents knowledge and perception of labour companionship. Based on the finding from the study, investment by State Ministry of health, National primary health care development Agency in training and retraining of women in labour companionship available, in order to promote their knowledge especially in the perception of labour companionship. Key words: Labour, Post natal Women, Labour Companionship, Pregnant women.