Lived Experiences of Women Who Have Undergone Cesarean Section in the Teaching Hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

There is often great joy at the birth of a healthy baby and a great tragedy at the demise of the mother and her baby, especially when the death was due to difficult labor at the refusal of cesarean section (CS) when the need is paramount. When healthcare workers give necessary support and care, it will influence birth experiences, but when the expectations are challenged, such as in the case of CS, there is great potential to experience birth in a negative and traumatic way. This study explored the lived experiences of women who have undergone CS in the teaching hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, with special reference to their experiences when labor started, immediately after surgery, and during puerperium. The study adopted a qualitative design. Nine (9) Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were conducted at the two (2) health facilities to collect data. FGD question guides were structured to elicit information by describing the events to identify variation in the responses given by the women. The data collected were transcribed using Nvivo analysis. During the discussions, five (5) themes were identified from their responses when labor started, four (4) themes were identified on their experiences on CS and four (4) themes were also identified on their lived experiences during puerperium. The participants mentioned anxiety and fear of losing their lives and that of their babies when they were informed of CS as the only option. It was concluded that detailed information and counselling of the pregnant woman, husband, or significant others on CS as a type of delivery will reduce the anxiety related to the procedure. Therefore, more enlightenment of the society is advocated to remove the myth and cultural/religious beliefs that surrounds CS which is a normal mode of delivery and reduce the negative criticisms often faced by women after the procedure.