Project Materials

UTILIZATION OF ANTENATAL AND MATERNITY SERVICES BY MOTHERS SEEKING CHILD WELFARE SERVICES IN NIGERIA

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Maternal and child health have emerged as the most important factors influencing global and national well-being. This is because pregnancy and birthing success are inextricably linked to every individual, family, and community (WHO, 2006). Despite the attention put upon females and the celebration of the birth of a new baby, pregnancy and delivery are still regarded as risky journeys.

Nigeria’s mother and child health situation is among the worst in Africa, and it has not improved significantly, worsening in certain places during the last decade (Ladipo, 2009).

The maternal death rate ranges between 800-15000 per 100,000 live births (Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, 2003), with significant differences between geopolitical zones – 165 in the South West against 1,549 in the North-East – and between urban and rural areas (Ladipo, 2009).

The total fertility rate is 5.7 births per woman, and it is estimated that roughly 59,000 maternal deaths occur in Nigeria each year due to pregnancy, delivery, and post-delivery problems (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, 2007).

According to one study (Ladipo, 2009), there is a strong correlation between the health of newborns and the health of their mothers. Poor mother health and inadequate care during pregnancy, birth, and the critical immediate postpartum period cause approximately 30-40% of neonatal and infant fatalities (Ladipo, 2009).

Every year in Nigeria, 340,000 newborns die during or shortly after delivery, particularly if the mother dies during childbirth (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, 2007). The under-five mortality rate is 200 per 1000 live births (WHO, 2006).

These deaths are not unrelated to the country’s poor maternal health services, which might be averted by providing high-quality and effective maternal and child health services.

Nigeria is one of the African countries with the fastest rising populations. As a booming economy, one of the most pressing health issues confronting the country today is the ability to sustain rising baby and mother health.

The most common recorded causes of perinatal fatalities are comparable to those in other less developed nations, with early childbearing, poor maternal health, and, most importantly, a lack of suitable and quality services (Okereke, Kanu, Nwachukwu, Anyanwu, Ehiri, & Merick, 2005).

Although life-saving treatments for most infants have been recognised for decades, one-third of mothers still lack access to health care services during pregnancy, and almost half do not have access to health care services during childbirth (Okereke et al., 2005).

Given rapid population growth and increased risks of adverse environmental health exposures, maternal and child health prospects may become a serious national public health issue due to factors such as ignorance, apathy, poverty, lack of commitment, illiteracy, and corruption (Opara & Ellah, 2007).