Breastfeeding: Knowledge, Perception, And Intention to Practice Among Female Students of Tertiary Institutions in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Breastfeeding is a public health practice that is critical for the survival of infants and young children. This study aimed at determining the knowledge, attitude, and future intention to breastfeed among female undergraduates in tertiary institutions in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria.Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 1312 female students of the tertiary institutions in Ekiti State. By convenience sampling, female students were invited to participate in the study after giving verbal consent and those studying medical, nursing, and other courses allied to medicine were excluded. Internal consistency of the data obtained from this research instrument was determined using Cronbach's coefficient Alpha with a reliability value of 0.82. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25. Descriptive as well as inferential statistics were computed. Results were summarized as frequencies and percentages. The differences in knowledge, attitude, and intention to practice breastfeeding as well as other responses among the participants were compared among age groups, faculties and the sources of information using Chi-square test. RESULT: Although 93% of the respondents agreed that breast milk is important for the development of the infant's brain thereby demonstrating good knowledge; 51.6% of the respondents demonstrated poor perception to breastfeeding believing breastfeeding makes the breast to sag while only 34% of the respondents indicated their intention to breastfeed their future babies. CONCLUSION: The intention to breastfeed among our study participants was poor. This study revealed the need to increase awareness about breastfeeding and its benefits among this huge population of future mothers.

Neonatal Jaundice: Perception of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest, Nigeria.

Background: Severe neonatal jaundice (NNJ) remains a leading cause of preventable brain damage, mental handicap, physical disabilities, and early death among infants. Methods: Using a descriptive cross-sectional study design, information was gathered using a structured, pretested questionnaire from 518 pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic at a tertiary Hospital in Southwest Nigeria. Results: Most (77%) of the respondents have heard about NNJ prior the survey. Most respondents (69.5%) demonstrated poor knowledge of the causes of NNJ. The majority, 98.4% had good attitude toward treatment of NNJ. Most respondents (72.1%) demonstrated poor knowledge of the correct treatment of NNJ. A quarter of the respondents knew no danger sign of NNJ. Conclusion: There is serious knowledge gap among the respondents about the causes, treatment, dangers signs and complications of NNJ. There is need for increased awareness campaign using every available means of reaching women of reproductive age group to reduce the consequences of this common neonatal problem.

Obstetric Correlates of Maternal Falls in Southern Nigeria.

Falls during pregnancy can be associated with serious obstetric complications. Apart from sparse data highlighting traumatic outcomes, there are no studies identifying the obstetric correlates of maternal falls in Nigeria. A cross-sectional cohort survey of 1,175 women in five public health facilities in Ado-Ekiti was conducted to address this need. Fall rate was 25%; mothers who fell during pregnancy were significantly older, of higher parity, and with unintended/unwanted pregnancies than those who did not fall. Most of the reported falls occurred in the third trimester, with about 10% of the women falling at least thrice during the course of the pregnancy. More than half of the reported falls occurred while engaging in household chores and carrying child/object with compromised visibility of the feet and floor. Uterine contractions/abdominal pain was the commonest; 29 (76.3%), obstetric event attributed to the falls. Antepartum haemorrhage, 4 (10.5%), and ruptured membranes, 2 (5.3%), also occurred after falls, although it was rare and occurred with the same frequency as in the general population. Maternal age ≥ 30 years (odds ratio: 1.36; 95% C.I. 1.03 - 1.80, p = 0.031), multiparity (odds ratio: 1.54; 95% C.I. 1.15 - 2.07, p = 0.004), unintended pregnancy (odds ratio: 1.48; 95% C.I. 1.02 - 2.15, p = 0.037), and delivery age ≤ 40 weeks (odds ratio: 1.71; 95% C.I. 1.07 - 2.75, p = 0.026) were found to be independent risk factors for falls during pregnancy. Fall awareness campaigns and fall-preventing safety tips are advocated in women's clinics. Improving contraceptive uptake will reduce unintended pregnancies and the risk of pregnancy-related fall/injuries.