Perception of Caesarean Section among Pregnant Women in a Rural Missionary Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Caesarean section is the delivery of a foetus through an incision made on the uterus. It is useful in situations where vaginal delivery is not feasible. Women in our setting usually see it as a reproductive failure and a sign of weakness. Our aim was to evaluate the perception of caesarean section among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a rural missionary hospital. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Mile 4 missionary hospital, Abakaliki among women attending routine antenatal clinic. Information was obtained from respondents with the aid of a questionnaire. Ethical clearance was obtained for the study. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Results: A total of 209 pregnant women participated in this study. Their age ranged from 14 to 43 with a mean age of 27 ± 5 years. One hundred and seventy two women (82.3%) have heard of caesarean section in the past. Eighteen (8.6%) have had caesarean section in the past while 5 were not willing to undergo the procedure again. Sixty (28.7%) are not willing to undergo caesarean section even when it is indicated. Conclusion: Despite awareness of caesarean section, women do not appear to have a positive attitude towards the procedure.