Does knowledge of pregnancy complications influence health facility delivery? Analysis of 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey

Association between receiving information on obstetric complications and institutional delivery: An analysis of the demographic and health survey of Peru, 2019

Objective

To evaluate the association between receiving information on obstetric complications and institutional delivery in Peruvian women in 2019.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2019 Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) database. The dependent variable was the type of delivery (institutional or non-institutional). The exposure variable was self-reporting of having received information on obstetric complications during prenatal care. The association of interest was evaluated using binary logistic regression models, obtaining crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95 % confidence intervals (95%CI). Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

We included a total of 14,835 women in the analysis. Of the total, 14,088 (94.1 %) reported having received information on pregnancy complications. Also, 13,883 (92.5 %) had an institutional delivery in their last pregnancy. The adjusted model showed that women who reported knowing the complications that can occur in pregnancy had a higher probability of presenting an institutional delivery (aOR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1.04-2.08).

Conclusions

Receiving information about pregnancy complications was found to be associated with a higher probability of institutional delivery. Ensuring the provision of information to the pregnant woman about pregnancy complications can be a useful strategy to increase institutional delivery.

Javanese Women's Experiences during the First Pregnancy

Background

Women experience physical, hormonal, and psychological changes during pregnancy. Similarly, some traditions are prevalent among Javanese women, which could affect their pregnancy. The experiences of first-time pregnant women in this area remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of women during their first pregnancy.

Materials and Methods

The qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was conducted in Kesambon village in Malang Regency, Indonesia. Eight women in their third trimester were selected purposively. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and subsequently open-coded using the NVivo-12 software manufactured by the QS International.

Results

The participants were married primigravida women aged 17 to 22 years. Four themes emerged as follows: pregnancy is a positive experience, pregnant women are not independent, belief in pregnancy-related myths and traditions, and pregnancy-related information seeking.

Conclusions

During the first pregnancy, pregnant women believed and practiced Javanese traditions regarding pregnancy. Although they were happy, they were still dependent and lacked the motivation to seek pregnancy-related information. Hence, midwives should provide them with adequate pregnancy-related information while addressing harmful myths and misconceptions. This should culminate in a successful pregnancy.

Utilization of optimal antenatal care, institutional delivery, and associated factors in Northwest Ethiopia

Optimal antenatal care visits (ANC4+) and institutional delivery are essentials to save lives of the women and the baby during pregnancy and delivery. Though focused antenatal care visits and institutional delivery is recommended by World Health Organization, Ethiopia has sub-optimal antenatal care and lagged facility delivery. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 811 lactating women in Northwest Ethiopia. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed using 95% confidence level and p < 0.05. The prevalence of optimal antenatal care visits and institutional delivery were 39.6% (95%CI: 36.2-43) and 62.6% (95%CI: 59.2-66), respectively. Maternal education (AOR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.14, 3.69), home visiting by health extension workers (AOR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.01, 2.29), and early antenatal care booking (AOR = 11.92; 95%CI: 8.22, 17.31) were significant predictors of optimal antenatal care. Exposure to mass media (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.65); intended pregnancy(AOR = 1.68; 95%CI:1.12, 3.63); parity of one (AO = 3.46; 95% CI: 1.73, 6.89); 1-3 antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.29, 3.63); and ANC4 + (AOR = 3.57; 95% CI: 2.07, 6.14); history of pregnancy-related complications(AOR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.04, 2.57), and access to transportation to reach a health facility(AOR = 1.58; 95%CI: 1.00, 2.45) were significant predictors of institutional delivery. Addressing the modifiable factors identified in this study could improve optimal antenatal care visit and institutional delivery.

Socio-demographic determinants of pregnancy termination among adolescent girls and young women in selected high fertility countries in sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Most of the unintended pregnancies that occur among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) end up in pregnancy termination. In this study, the socio-demographic determinants of pregnancy termination among AGYW (aged 15-24) in selected countries with high fertility rates in SSA were examined.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys of nine countries in SSA. The countries included are Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Uganda. A total of 62,747 AGYW constituted the sample size for the study. Fixed and random effects models were used to examine the determinants of pregnancy termination with statistical significance at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Higher odds of pregnancy termination were found among AGYW aged 20-24, those who were cohabiting and married, those who listened to radio and watched television at least once a week and those who lived in communities with high literacy level. Conversely, the odds of pregnancy termination were lower among AGYW with three or more births and those with secondary/higher education.

CONCLUSION

The socio-demographic determinants of pregnancy termination among AGYW in this study were age, level of education, marital status, exposure to radio and television, parity, and community literacy level. The findings provide the needed information for designing health interventions to reduce unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions in countries with high fertility rates in SSA. It is recommended that governments and non-governmental organisations in these countries should enhance sexuality education and regular sensitization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes targeted at AGYW who are at risk of pregnancy termination.