Assessment of the Level of Maternal Satisfaction among Selected Secondary Health Facilities in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
Abstract:
Maternal satisfaction is a critical determinant of health care seeking behaviour, influencing adherences to stated care regimens and trust in the health system. This study utilized the Women’s View of Birth Labour Satisfaction Questionnaire (WOMBLSQ) as the primary instruments for assessing maternal satisfaction. This tool encompasses multiple dimensions such as professional support, fulfillment of expectations, pain experience during labor, pain experience following delivery, home assessment, spousal support, mother-infant bonding, women's familiarity with caregivers during birth, the birthing environment, perceived sense of control, and overall satisfaction with the birth experience. The study adopted a cross-sectional, quantitative design and data was systematically collected from eligible pregnant women attending selected secondary health facilities within AMAC, Abuja, over a defined collection period spanning February to April 2024. Results indicated high satisfaction with Expectations (mean = 5.51,77.5%) and Environment (mean = 5.52, 78.9%). Moderate satisfaction was observed for Professional Support (mean = 5.26,75.2%), perceived sense of Control (mean = 5.19,74.3%), women's familiarity with caregivers (mean = 4.83,64.9%), and spousal support (mean = 4.67,66.7%). In contrast, mother-infant bonding (mean = 3.65, 52.2%), pain during labor (mean = 4.04, 57.7%) and pain following delivery (mean = 4.08,58.2%)- elicited neutral responses. Notably, respondents expressed moderate dissatisfaction with home assessment (mean = 3.06, ,43.7%). Overall, general satisfaction was moderate, with a mean score of 4.87 or 69.6%. In the light of Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate, it is recommended that targeted attention be directed towards improving home assessment services, practices related to mother-infant bonding and pain management protocols.References:
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