TITLE:
Birth preparedness and complication readiness among postnatal mothers in Malawi
AUTHORS:
Alliet Kupatsa Botha, Alfred Maluwa, Mercy Pindani, Kaye Bultemeier
KEYWORDS:
Birth Preparedness; Complication Readiness; Danger Signs of Pregnancy; Antenatal Care Education; Postpartum Period; Maternal and Neonatal Mortalities
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.9,
September
13,
2013
ABSTRACT:
This study was conducted to assess birth preparedness and complication
readiness among postnatal mothers at Khombedza Health Centre in Salima
District, Malawi. The study design was descriptive cross sectional and utilized
qualitative data collection and analysis method on a random sample of 15
postnatal mothers. A semi structured questionnaire was used to assess birth
preparedness and complication readiness among the postnatal mothers during
their most recent pregnancy and child birth. The findings indicate that
overall, all the mothers had attended antenatal care and were aware of the importance of seeking health facility delivery. The mothers were also conversant
with the items to bring with them during labour and delivery. Results further show that the participants had some knowledge
of danger signs during postpartum and also for the new born baby but had
limited knowledge of danger signs during antenatal, labour and delivery.
Although the mothers had planned to deliver at the hospital, they did not save
money for transport. There is therefore a need to strengthen antenatal care
education on birth preparedness and complication readiness. Such knowledge
would assist pregnant mothers to identify danger signs during antenatal, labour and delivery and therefore seek emergency obstetric
care on time to minimize maternal and neonatal mortalities.