Promoting Maternity Care: Knowledge, Perception and Challenges of Midwives in Selected Government Hospitals in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja

Abstract

: Introduction: One major threat to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is the refusal of about one-third of pregnant and postpartum women to access maternity care from health facilities. Evidence suggests that women who do not access maternity care have reported to have experienced or witnessed disrespectful maternity care at health facilities. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, perception and challenges of promoting respectful maternity care by midwives. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 6 selected government hospitals in FCT. A stratified random sampling technique was used in classifying FCT into 6 strata. The hospitals were selected using simple random sampling from each stratum. Then, the Purposive Non-probability sampling technique was used to select 112 midwives working in the maternity units at the study hospitals. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Results: The percentage of midwives that expressed knowledge of respectful maternity care and its components is 84.6%. 71.2% expressed positive perceptions of respectful maternity care. 58.4% identified challenges related to promotion of respectful maternity care. The average percentage of respondents acknowledging the prospects and opportunities for promoting respectful maternity care is 89.6%. Conclusion: Midwives generally exhibit a positive attitude towards respectful maternity care. A significant proportion of midwives have undergone training on RMC, possess a deep understanding of its key components, and feel confident in their ability to apply the principles of respectful care in their daily practice. However, despite this positive outlook, challenges persist in the provision of respectful maternity care.