ABSTRACT
This study seeks to assess the knowledge, practice and factors influencing birth preparedness and complications readiness among pregnant women attending antenatal care in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo state. The study was outlined into five chapters. Relevant literature were reviewed on the subject under discourse, theoretical framework and empirical review of related studies were also discussed. The research methodology, which adopted the survey research design, and convenient sampling method was used to select two hundred and twenty-eight (228) pregnant women attending antenatal care in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo state. A well-structured questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. Analysis and interpretation of data were discussed, using tables with percentage and means to represent the information. The result from the study indicates that the respondents’ level of knowledge of Birth preparedness and complications readiness shows that 56(24%) have poor level of knowledge, 77(34%) have fair level of knowledge, while the remaining 95(42%) have good level of knowledge. Also, the respondents’ level of practice of birth preparedness and complications readiness reveals that 15(6%) of the women have poor level of practice, 68(30%) have fair level of practice while the remaining 145(64%) have good level of practice. Furthermore, majority of respondents identified with certain factors influencing birth preparedness and complication readiness and these factors includes; the influence of age on pregnancy, financial constraints, residence and family size, the gravity of the pregnant woman and her previous obstetric complications, personal experience of previous obstetric complications, family and spousal support, attitudes toward birth preparedness generally leaned toward agreement and unwanted pregnancies.
KEYWORDS: Knowledge, Practice, Birth preparedness, Complication readiness, Focused antenatal care
