Counselling Imperative of Cultural Practice and It Impact on Health of Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Care Clinic in Akpabuyo Local Government Area

Ekeng EB, Effiom EB, Alderline BB, Queen BB, Joseph EA and Ekpo-Awan OEP

Published on: 2023-08-16

Abstract

The study was focused on the cultural practice and its impact on the health of pregnant women in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State. Cultural practice is the manifestation of a culture or sub-culture, especially in regards to the traditional and customary practice of a particular ethnic or other cultural group. Malnutrition, lack of antenatal care, lack of postnatal care delivery, and pregnancy loss or miscarriage were seen as the major causes of cultural practice on pregnant women. On this note, the researcher embarks on this research to analyze cultural practice and their impact on the health of pregnant women. Four objectives and four statements of the problem were formulated to ground this work-related literature of scholars in line with the topic under study and were reviewed appropriately.

A descriptive survey design was deployed, and a stratified random sampling technique was used to select 50 strata, each from a cluster frame. A sample size of 250 was selected from different primary health centres under study. Data were collected using a questionnaire, and analysis was made using tables and percentages. Based on the findings, it was shown that pregnancy loss or miscarriage, malnutrition of pregnant women, efficient communication awareness, lack of anti-natal care, and lack of post-antenatal care delivery a counselling centre such as this should be included in the primary health centre of Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State.