Women’s Experience with Socio-Economic Factors Associated with Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality in Lusaka and Mumbwa Districts of Zambia

Abstract

Background: More than half a million women and four million infants are reported to die every year due to complications related to pregnancy and child bearing. The efforts to improve quality maternity care have been on the World Health Organization member countries’ agenda. Zambia has been striving to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring universal access to maternal and child health care services. Our study aimed to explore women’s experience with socio-economic factors associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality in Lusaka and Mumbwa districts, Zambia. Methodology: This hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted at four health facilities in Mumbwa and Lusaka Districts of Zambia. A purposeful sample of 45 consenting women organized in four groups was selected. Each group comprised of 11 to 12 women. The focus group discussion guide was used to direct the discussion and the Olympus Digital Voice Recorder WS-852 (Olympus Corporation, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan) was used to record the discussions. The audio data was manually transcribed and verbatim transcript analyzed using ATLAS.ti 8.0 qualitative data software (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany) to ascertain patterns of relationships between themes and quotations. Results: Money, husbands and family support, adequate health care resources, and good nurses attitude simplify the burden of pregnancy, delivery and child rearing for the health care providers, mothers and society. Conclusion: Having money and all the necessary resources during pregnancy simplifies the burden of pregnancy, delivery and child rearing for the health care providers, mothers and society. Women are still ignorant and believe in myths and need information on the dangers of depending on herbs and God in preparation for labor and care of the new born, but also seek help from qualified medical personnel when labor starts. Nurse’s attitude needs to change to ensure a reduction in women and newborn mortalities. Nurses were mentioned as the cause of mortality among women and newborn. Recommendations: There’s a need for training of nurses and other health care workers on self-awareness of attitudes. Women should be empowered with resources that facilitate labor and delivery. Midwives and health care providers should take responsibility for evaluating and correcting the beliefs and traditional practices of the community. Training should be planned for raising awareness in order to support beneficial practices and prevent harmful ones.