HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES AND PERCEPTIONS OF MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG WOMEN IN PLATEAU STATE OF NIGERIA

HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES AND PERCEPTIONS OF MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG WOMEN IN PLATEAU STATE OF NIGERIA

Abstract:

This study is on high-risk pregnancies and perceptions of maternal mortality among women in Plateau State of Nigeria. Four research questions were stated to guide the study, with specific objectives which include: to explain the manifestations of maternal mortality; to determine the extent to which socio-cultural factors are responsible for high-risk pregnancies and to investigate respondents knowledge of maternal mortality in relationship to their indulgence in high-risk pregnancies. Relevant literatures were reviewed, while the political economy was for analysis. Both primary and secondary data were explored for the study and quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection were triangulated for analysis. Using the Yamane’s sample size determination technique, 400 respondents were selected for the study. Questionnaires were administered on 300 respondents who were women within reproductive ages (15-49); in-depth interviews were conducted on 16 key informants drawn from medical personnel’s and women within reproductive ages in the study area. In addition, 7 focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 84 participants (12 in each group) were carried out. Data were analyzed and findings revealed that high-risk pregnancies were major contributory factors to the high-rate of maternal mortality in Plateau state. Every pregnancy was found to be associated with high-risk due to obstetric factors, medical conditions and unpredicted outcomes. Findings on the first objective indicated that high-risk pregnancies are practiced in Plateau state, but early pregnancies were more common as compared to order forms. This suggests that most women marry early and give birth before age 34. Findings on the second objective indicated that maternal mortality as a result of high-risk pregnancies is still a social problem in Plateau state. Findings on the third objective indicated that social factors like non-attendance of antenatal clinics, son preference, poverty and caesarean section (CS) predispose respondents to having high-risk pregnancies. This implies that socio-cultural factors are capable of causing high-risk pregnancies and maternal mortality. Findings on the fourth objective indicate that respondents still indulge in high-risk pregnancies but early pregnancies were commonly practiced and most respondents have knowledge of maternal mortality. Based on these findings, the study recommends among others areas that Social Workers and Sociologists as well as Medical Personnel should educate women on the need to prevent unwanted and early pregnancies and to engage in family planning, as well as regular attendance of ante-natal clinics. In addition, women should be educated on the risk involved in continuous child bearing after having a large number of children and also on the risk of poor birth spacing

HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES AND PERCEPTIONS OF MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG WOMEN IN PLATEAU STATE OF NIGERIA

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