article · PubMed
A study across two tertiary healthcare centres in the Niger Delta assessed how midwives understand and use the partograph during labour. While 84 percent of surveyed midwives knew about the tool and over 92 percent recognised its role in reducing maternal and child mortality, actual clinical use remained suboptimal. Examination of completed records revealed that only about one third of evaluated charts were properly completed across both institutions. Reported barriers to effective use included an outright lack of available charts, healthcare staffing shortages, gaps in practical knowledge, and time constraints. Statistical analysis demonstrated that correct utilization correlated significantly with both midwife knowledge levels and their years of clinical experience. These findings demonstrate an operational gap between general awareness and correct practical implementation, highlighting the need for mandatory institutional policies, structured regular training, and reliable supplies to protect women in labour.
The partograph is a vital clinical tool designed to prevent complications and fatalities during childbirth. Demonstrating that high general awareness does not translate into correct clinical documentation highlights why hospitals must address resource shortages, provide practical training, and enforce institutional protocols to ensure maternal and neonatal safety.
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This cross-sectional study assessed knowledge and utilization of the partograph among midwives in two tertiary health facilities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was utilized, using a structured questionnaire administered to 165 midwives purposively selected from the Federal Medical Center (FMC) (79) and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) (86). Results revealed that 84% of midwives knew what the partograph was and 92.7% indicated that the use of the partograph reduces maternal and child mortality. About 50.6% midwives in FMC and 98.8% in NDUTH indicated that it was routinely utilized in their centers. Assessment of utilized partograph charts revealed that only 18 (37.5%) out of 48 in FMC and 17 (32.6%) out of 52 in NDUTH were properly filled. Factors in the utilization of the partograph were:-non-availability of the partograph (30.3%), shortage of staff (19.4%), little or no knowledge in the use of the partograph (22.2%), and 8.6 percent indicated it was time consuming. A significant relationship existed between knowledge of the partograph and its utilization (chi2 = 32.298. Df = 1; P < 0.05) and between midwives years of experience and its utilization (chi2 = 4.818, Df = 4; P < 0.05). However, this study also showed that despite midwives good knowledge of the partograph, there was poor utilization in labor monitoring in both centers. Training of midwives on the use of the partograph with periodic workshops and seminars and a mandatory hospital policy are recommended and vital to the safety of women in labor in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
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