Assessment of knowledge, desire and preferred choice of antenatal clients about companionship during labour and delivery with associated factors in Addis Ababa
Creators: name: O. Kuku, Olumide
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2018

description: Background: Labour is a period characterized by worries, fear of the unknown, emotional disturbances, excruciating pain and increased potential maternal/newborn morbidity and mortality. As part of effort to improve quality of care provided in health facilities during child birth, companionship in labour was recommended by WHO. The women's knowledge about the right to have a companion in labour, desire and preferred choice as companion needs attention. Objective: To assess the knowledge, desire and preferred choice of antenatal clients about companionship in labour and delivery with associated factors in Addis Ababa health facilities. Methodology: A quantitative facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out in selected public healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa from February 1st to April 30th, 2018. Using multistage sampling technique, 477 pregnant women participated in the study. A pretested interviewer administered, structured questionnaire was used to obtain information. Data was entered in Epidata version 3.1 and was exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Logistic regression model was used to assess associations between exposure and outcome variables of the study. P-value of &lt; 0.05 and 95% CI were taken as statistical significance level. Result: The knowledge about the right to have companion of choice in labour and childbirth (CCLC) in facilities was found in only 65 (13.6%) of pregnant women in Addis Ababa. Four hundred and ten (86%) of them were desirous of CCLC in facilities and their predominant preferred choice was husband 245 (59.8%), followed by mother 70 (17.1%), sister 62 (15.1%) and friend 24 (5.9%). Past history of support in last delivery was associated with knowledge about CCLC (AOR=3.392; 95% CI 1.200-9.588). Level of education (AOR=0.515; 95% CI 0.277-0.960) and ethnicity (AOR=2.451; 95% CI 1.126-5.335) were associated with desire for CCLC. Level of education was associated with preference for both husband (AOR=0.141; 95% CI 0.021-0.956) and friend (AOR=2.840; 95% CI 1.099-7.341) as companion, while marital status was statistically associated with the preference for mother as companion (AOR=0.249; 95% CI 0.078-0.794). Conclusion and recommendation: There is a very low knowledge among ANC clients in Addis Ababa public facilities about the right to have companion of choice in labour and childbirth (CCLC) while in facilities. Almost all the women desire to have CCLC with the husbands being their most preferred choice as companion. There is a need to improve women's awareness about their right to have CCLC through mass media and other avenues such as integration into ANC activities. Also, a clearly stated policy about CCLC should be enacted. Other studies to identify possible hindrances to practice, the view of health facilities and providers about CCLC and the view of husband and other potential companions about CCLC should be conducted.