Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Yenagoa, South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Maternal mortality still remains a substantial burden and hence progress towards the fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 5) was particularly slow. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in developing regions is 15 times (240/100,000 live births) higher than in developed regions (16/100,000live births). Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest MMR at 500 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. <strong>Objectives: </strong>To assess the sociodemographic factors affecting birth preparedness and complication readiness<strong> </strong>amongst those attending antenatal clinics in Yenagoa metropolis. <strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional descriptive study done amongst pregnant women of childbearing ages attending ANC clinics using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 20. <strong>Results: </strong>Most of the respondents 258 (99.2%) were Christians. The majority 239 (91.9%) of the respondents were married. One hundred and thirteen (43.5%) respondents were Ijaw in their ethnic group, followed Igbo; 71 (27.3%). The majority 141 (54.2%) of respondents had a secondary level of education Socioeconomic status II had the highest frequency 97 (37.3%), then status I, 94 (36.2%) Birth preparedness and complication readiness of mothers was significantly (<em>p</em> <0.05) associated with mother’s education, socioeconomic status and knowledge of obstetric danger signs. Birth preparedness and complication readiness of mothers were not significantly (<em>p</em> > 0.05) associated with the age of the expectant mother, marital status, family size, gestational age, antenatal care follow-up, number of antenatal care visits and time to the nearest health facility. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Educational status, socioeconomic status and knowledge of key danger signs during pregnancy were independent predictors of birth preparedness and complication readiness. There is a need for improvement of the above factors in other to enhance birth preparedness and complication readiness.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0949/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>