The experience of women following caesarean section in a tertiary hospital in SouthEast Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: To explore maternal experience following caesarean section. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional prospective study involving 250 women. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 27.2 ± 5.5 years with fifty-three per cent (53.1%) of the women between the ages of 20–9 years. Majority of the participants (67.1%) were multiparous and 37.4% of the parturient had secondary school education. The majority (67.1%) were in social class 3–5. Emergency caesarean section accounted for 74.5% of the caesarean section and the commonest indication was foetal distress. One hundred and forty-four participants (59.3%) were satisfied with their caesarean section experience which was significantly associated with health care attention and foetal outcome. More than half of the study population would not accept caesarean section when indicated in a future pregnancy. The health care attention [AOR 0.53, 95% CI (0.32, 0.88)] and maternal age [AOR 3.05, 95%CI (1.43, 6.49)] were significant predictors. CONCLUSION: Majority of the women were satisfied with their caesarean section experience which is influenced by the hospital care and foetal outcome. Improvement in maternal caesarean section experience through quality health care is important in increasing uptake when indicated.