KNOWLEDGE OF CAUSES AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY AMONG MOTHERS IN ONUIMO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IMO STATE.

Abstract

This study empirically investigated the knowledge of causes and preventive measures of infant and maternal mortality among mothers in Onuimo Local Government Area. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Four research questions guided the study. A sample of 414 respondents was obtained through proportionate random sampling technique from the population of 9741 registered members of mothers union in Onuimo Local Government Area. A 39 -item questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistic of frequency and percentage were used in analyzing the data. The result showed that majority of the respondents were knowledgeable of the causes and preventive measures of infant and maternal mortality. Some of the causes of infant mortality indicated by majority of the respondents include among others, pneumonia, tetanus, drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food, diarrhoea, micronutrient deficiency and malaria. Preventive include infant mortality indicated by
majority of the respondents include among others immunization intake of vitamin A supplement, exclusive breastfeeding. Abortion, bleeding, eclampsia, sepsis anaemia, prolonged labour and obstructed labour were causes of maternal mortality indicated by majority of the respondents. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend that health educators should educate mothers on the consequences of infant and maternal mortality. Health workers, educators and community leaders should encourage mothers to put their knowledge of causes and preventive measures of infant and maternal mortality into practice so as to reduce the intake of infant and maternal mortality.