High risk behaviours related to maternal and child health

The excessive high maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity figures characteristic of our community could be linked with maternal high-risk behaviours during pregnancy, delivery and postnatal periods. This cross-sectional questionnaire study assessed the prevalence of these behaviours among mothers in Ibadan.

Consecutive mothers attending infant welfare clinics of selected formal health facilities in Ibadan within 6 weeks of delivery were interviewed with a questionnaire.

Of the 500 women interviewed, only 2.4% did not receive any antenatal care, 87.7% commenced care after first semester (57.2% and 30.5% in the second and third trimesters respectively). Twenty-five percent, 7.5% and 4.8% received no malaria prophylaxis, no tetanus immunisation, and iron preparations during pregnancy respectively. Seventeen percent (16.9%) received incomplete tetanus immunisation. Thirty percent (30%) of the women delivered out of formal health facilities, in church-based maternity and at home. While 91.4% received group breastfeeding counselling, 72% received group counselling specifically on exclusive breastfeeding. Eighty-four percent of the babies were not exclusively breast-fed, with 62.9%, 26.8% and 4.6% receiving supplementation with water, herbal preparations and artificial milk respectively. Sixty-seven percent of the babies received first immunisation after the first week of delivery. Prevalence of high risk behaviours related to maternal and child health care were not significantly different among the women utilising formal health facilities irrespective of the level, but were significantly higher among women who did not.

A high prevalence of high-risk behaviours during pregnancy, delivery and postnatal periods, despite the availability of services, has been highlighted. There is a need to promote optimal utilization of existing services. There may be a need for quality assurance of these services.