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. 2021 Jun;10(1):363-376.
doi: 10.1007/s40122-020-00212-1. Epub 2020 Oct 27.

Assessment of Awareness, Attitude and Desire for Labor Analgesia and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Misganaw Mengie Workie  1 , Wubie Birlie Chekol  2 , Demeke Yilkal Fentie  1 , Seid Adem Ahmed  1 , Yosef Belay Bizuneh  1
Affiliations

Assessment of Awareness, Attitude and Desire for Labor Analgesia and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Misganaw Mengie Workie et al. Pain Ther. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Labor pain is the worst imaginable pain that women experience during their childbearing years. Untreated labor pain has numerous negative consequences, for both the mother and her fetus. Low levels of awareness and attitudes among pregnant women about labor analgesia is a major challenge that affects outcomes for both the mother and fetus. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the awareness of, attitude towards and desire for labor analgesia and its associated factors among pregnant women who visited an antenatal care facility.

Methods: An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2019. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires by a convenience sampling technique. Data were entered using EpiData 4.2 and exported to SPSS version 20 software for analysis. Both bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors associated with awareness, attitude and desire for labor analgesia among pregnant women. Crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were calculated to show the strength of association.

Results: A total of 410 participants were included. Thirty-three (8%) of the pregnant women who visited the antenatal care facility were found to have an awareness of labor analgesia. In multivariate analysis, the likelihood of having awareness of labor analgesia was 7.227 times (AOR: 7.227, 95%, CI 2.406-21.720) greater among parous versus nulliparous mothers. The odds of having awareness of labor analgesia were 3.133 times (AOR: 3.133, 95%; CI 1.144-8.581) greater among government employees than among housewives. The odds of having a good attitude towards labor analgesia were 6.488 times (AOR: 6.488, 95% CI 1.894-22.227) higher in government employees than in farmers. Women in the age group of 25-31 years were 1.815 times more likely to want labor analgesia for their next delivery (AOR: 1.815, 95% CI 1.103-2.989).

Conclusions: The awareness of labor analgesia among pregnant women was low. There is a need for teamwork by all stakeholders in health sectors to improve attitudes and increase the desire for labor analgesia among pregnant women who visit antenatal care facilities.

Keywords: Attitude; Awareness; Desire; Labor analgesia; Pregnant women.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preferred methods of labor analgesia for the next delivery among pregnant women receiving ANC at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, February–March 2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Reason for refusal of labor analgesia for the next delivery among pregnant women receiving ANC at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, February–March 2019
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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