POSTPARTUM CARE PRACTICES AND THE INFLUENCING FACTORS AMONG RURAL DWELLERS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA.

Background: The weeks following childbirth are usually periods of physical and psychological recuperation known as the postpartum period. However, instead of continuous recuperation after childbirth, some women continue to experience problems related to childbirth well beyond the postpartum period; and this might have been caused or exacerbated by some poor postpartum care practices. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the postpartum care practices and the influencing factors among postpartum women in rural communities of Anambra State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The design was a cross-sectional survey involving 400 volunteering postpartum women consecutively recruited from communities in Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria. Ethical approval and respondents’ informed consent were also obtained. A self-developed and validated questionnaire was used to collect the data necessary for the study. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: This study revealed that a significant percentage (12.2%) of the respondents did not deliver their babies in any health facility, while 26.6% did not receive postpartum care services. There was evidence of potentially harmful postpartum care practices among the respondents, and these include drinking of alcohol to induce faster lochia drainage (7%) and drinking herb mixtures to stop heavy lochia flow (13%). Factors that influenced postpartum care practices were the place of delivery, marital status, educational qualifications, age, beliefs, and culture. Conclusion: The study revealed evidence of negative practices and the factors that influence them among the respondents. There is a need for contextualized public health enlightenment program on postpartum care practices that would negotiate change for practices that are harmful, while encouraging those that are helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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