Knowledge and Attitude concerning Maternal positions adopted in the Second stage of labour: A Cross-sectional study Of Midwives' in Jigawa state, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30442/Keywords:
Attitude, Birthing position, Horizontal position, Knowledge, Midwives, Second stage of labour, Upright positionAbstract
Background: The positions adopted in the second stage of labour are generally grouped as either upright or horizontal.
Objectives: This study examined knowledge and attitudes regarding maternal positions during the second stage of labour, as well as the challenges midwives face when assisting women in the upright position.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted online among 176 midwives working in Jigawa State, using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire on Google Forms. The information obtained was exported to IBM SPSS Statistics and analysed. Each respondent’s knowledge was assessed by assigning 1 point for each correct response and 0 points for incorrect responses. Attitude was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, and frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the challenges.
Result: Of the 176 participants, 115 (65.3%) had adequate knowledge of maternal positions used in the second stage of labour, and 61 (34.7%) had inadequate knowledge. Midwives' attitudes were generally neutral, with a mean total score of 2.85. Lack of local guidelines, fear of litigation, and uncertainty about the safety of adopting other positions were reported by 81.2% (143), 77.3% (136), and 67.0% (118) of midwives, respectively.
Conclusion: The midwives had adequate knowledge and a neutral attitude toward maternal positions adopted in the second stage of labour, while a lack of local guidelines, fear of litigation, and uncertainty about the safety of birthing in other positions were common challenges. Efforts should be made to train and retrain midwives in evidence-based practice and to provide relevant guidelines.
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