Awareness of epidural analgesia in labour and its acceptability by parturient in a tertiary hospital in Cameroon

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Labour pains management is an important component of quality care in obstetrics but in Cameroon, very few maternities include this in their care plans. This study was conducted in the perceptive to introduce labour pains management as part of routine obstetric care in tertiary hospitals. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional prospective study of 7 months during which an interviewer structured questionnaire was administered to respondents who were conveniently selected at the outpatient Gynaecological unit. All pregnant women who were not scheduled for elective caesarean section and had no contraindication to Epidural Anaesthesia were asked to participate. The questionnaire had sections on awareness of epidural anaesthesia, labour pains perception and its control, and willingness to accept anaesthesia. RESULTS: 270/336 (80.35%) respondents were aware of EA. The main source of information was mass media in 39.63%. 62.5% considered labour pains “as normal and only 9.83% of them consider it unbearable. Conversely, 68.45% of respondents against 31.55% were favourable to epidural anaesthesia. 60.71% of study participants express willingness to accept Epidural anaesthesia in future labour for various reasons including need for a comfortable labour (23.81%), to experiment (23.81%),and because of past experience (9.83%). The majority of the 39.29% who refused Epidural anaesthesia was because of fear of related risks or complications (80.80%). CONCLUSION: majority of respondents knew about and would accept epidural anaesthesia. Those who would refuse the procedure included claimed Fear of complications. Health carers must be sensitized to integrate information on epidural anaesthesia in the education package.

Keywords

• epidural anaesthesia
• awareness
• labour pains perception
• epidural anaesthesia acceptance