Investigating determinants for woman's choice to accept an epidural for
labour analgesia at the delivery unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Abstract
Abstract Objective: This study aimed to assess factors that influence
epidural labour analgesia acceptance or refusal at the maternity unit of
the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Design: Prospective cross-sectional
survey, Setting: This study was carried out at the maternity unit of the
Tamale Teaching Hospital Population or Sampling: We recruited 540
parturients at the maternity unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to each recruited
parturients after childbirth. Main Outcome Measures: The primary
outcomes measured were awareness and factors that affected epidural
labour analgesia acceptance at the delivery unit of the Tamale Teaching
Hospital Results: The data showed that 525 (97.2 %) of the participants
were aware of epidural labour analgesia, out of which 503 (93.1 %)
refused to accept the epidural for labour analgesia. Age, educational
background, cultural or religious beliefs, attitudes of midwives and the
cost of the epidural labour analgesia service were observed to be some
determinants of the epidural labour analgesia use at the delivery unit
of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.