The Role of Pastors: Attitude of 193 Ante Natal Clinic Attendees towards Caesarean Section at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital

Introduction:Caesarean section (Cs) is a surgical procedure carried out to prevent adverse maternal and fetal outcome. Aversion to Cs may constitute a major obstacle to safe motherhood. Some for pregnant women not accepting Cs are socio-cultural, religious, ethnic or economical.Aim:Determine the attitude of the church in Nigeria and Pastors towards caesarean section, hence profer solution to the aversion to caesarean section. Methods:It was a prospective study of ANC attendees at the RSUTH. The information was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25.Results:A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and 193 retrieved. The mean age was 31 years. The modal parity was 2. As regards level of education; respondents with no formal education were 5 (2.6%), primary 6 (3.1%), secondary 88 (45.6%) and tertiary 94 (48.7%). Fifty seven (30%) of the antenatal mothers had aversion for CS. The reasons given were socio-cultural 25 (13%), religious 8 (4.1%), economic 7 (3.6), ethnic 4 (2.1%), combination of the above 17 (8.8%) and 132 (68.4%) did not respond.Conclusion:The study revealed that the aversion for CS was 30% amongst antenatal clinic attendees at the RSUTH. Religious in this scenario were all Christians was 4.1 %, non-respondents were 68.4%. Counselling and advocacy are needed to change the wrong perspective about CS by the Pastors to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality

Thriving Traditional Birth Attendants in the Nigerian Church: Gate-way to Maternal and Perinatal Mortality - A Typical Example of Conflict in the Church. Review of Practices of Traditional Birth Attendants across the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State – South South Nigeria

Background: There is need to educate the pastors and the church congregation for the need for skilled birth attendants to handle pregnancy and labour related challenges in other to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality. This is because, in some “maternities” in Nigeria traditional birth attendants (TBAs) attend to pregnancy related cases and in some instances these unconventional practices are extended to the local churches.Aim: To determine cases of TBAs practicing in churches and help prevent these unconventional obstetrics practices thus preventing maternal and perinatal motality.Methods: It was a cross-sectional study of TBAs across all 23 local government areas of Rivers State in a lecture to prevent maternal death in the month of June 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Information was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25.Results: Forty questionnaires were distributed and 37 retrieved. The mean age was 44 years. They were all females. All ofthem were Christians. Their modal age of practice was 1 –5 years. As regards TBAs educational status, those with no formal education were 4 (10.8%), primary 6(16.2%), secondary 20 (54.1%) and tertiary 7 (18.9%). Eleven (29.7%) of the TBAs have ante natal care in the church out of which 6 (16.2%) conducts delivery in the church. Perinatal and maternal deaths recorded by the TBAs in the past 1 year were 7 (18.9%) and 1 (2.7%) respectively.Conclusion: There is need for our Pastors and churches in Nigeria to recognize the place of skilled birth attendants in attending to pregnancy and labour in other to reduce maternal /perinatal mortality and discourage TBAs from practicing in the church. n addition, the study revealed that majority of the TBAs had secondary level of education (54.1%). There is need for churches to encourage their members to seek the pre-requisite training by emphasizing acquiring the necessary education to improve their vocation as birth attendants.