Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health (Nov 2022)

Awareness, attitude and willingness to receive labour analgesia among pregnant women attending maternity hospitals in Eastern U.P.

  • Imran Ahmed Khan,
  • Najma Malik,
  • Richa Mishra,
  • Harish Chandra Tiwari,
  • Veena Shahi

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18
p. 101157

Abstract

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Background: Labour pain is among the most severe pain that a women experience in their lifetime. Since abolition of labour pain has always been surrounded by myths and controversies, providing effective and safe analgesia in labour remained a challenge. Objective: The Objective of this survey was to find out awareness, attitude and willingness to receive Labour Analgesia among pregnant women attending maternity hospitals and providing health education regarding labour analgesia to the participants and attendants encountered during study. Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to March 2022 among pregnant women attending obstetrics & gynaecology department of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur using semi structured, pretested questionnaire. Personal interview of participants was done to collect data. Result: A total 204 valid responses were obtained out of 225 participants contacted (response rate 90.6%). Age of the participants were 20–35 years (mean 25.18, standard deviation 3.2). We found very little awareness regarding labour analgesia among participants attending to antenatal clinics but after providing information majority were willing to avail the facility of labour analgesia. Conclusion: Awareness about labour analgesia was found limited but majority had positive attitude towards it. This demand supply gap can be filled by appropriate health education and increasing awareness about availability of these services.

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