Views Of Nigerian parturients, their husbands and medical personnel on the presence of parturients' relatives during labour

Abstract

Through a questionnaire survey, the views of 260 Nigerian Igbo parturients, 170 of their husbands and 172 medical personnel were sought to determine the desirability or otherwise of allowing parturients' relatives by their bedside during labour at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Previously, this was not the practice in our hospital. Seventy five percent of the parturients, 88% of the husbands and 82% of the medical personnel favoured the presence of a parturient's relative. Forty-six percent of the parturients who would want a relative during labour preferred their husbands while 54% preferred another female relative. Sixty four percent of the husbands favoured being physically present during labour while 28% preferred the presence of other relatives. Ninety-two percent of the medical personnel preferred the husbands to other relatives. The major reasons proffered by the respondents were increased psychological and physical support for the parturients. It is concluded that allowing parturients' relatives by their bedside during labour should be encouraged.

Keywords

• views
• parturient
• husband
• medical personnel
• labour