TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
Table of
Contents vi
List of Tables ix
List of
Figures xi
Appendices
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 5
1.3 Objective of the Study 5
1.4 Research Questions 6
1.5 Hypotheses 6
1.6 Scope of the Study 6
1.7 Significance of the Study 6
1.8 Justification for the Study 7
1.9 Operational Definition of terms 8
CHAPTER
TWO:REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.0 Introduction 9
2.1 Knowledge and use of the Partograph 10
2.2 Partograph Training and Monitoring/Supervision 15
2.3 Use of the Partograph as a Referral tool 18
2.4 Effect of the partograph on labor and
maternal and neonatal outcomes 19
2.5 Use of partograph and incidence of prolonged or augmented labor and operative delivery 20
2.6 Impact of partograph use on maternal and
perinatal complications 22
2.7 Providers’ attitudes about the partograph and barriers to use 23
2.8 Lack of access to partograph forms 24
2.9 Partograph improves quality of health care 25
2.10 Partograph is well used for referral, but
transport can be inadequate 25
2.11 Lack of emotional consideration 25
2.12 Adaptations to the who partograph 26
2.13 Conceptual Model 29
2.14 Conclusion 31
CHAPTER
THREE
: METHODOLOGY
- Introduction 32
- Research Design 32
- Population 32
- Sample size and sampling Technique 33
- Instrument for Data Collection 34
- Pilot Study 35
- Method of Data Collection 35
- Method of Data Analysis 36
- Ethical Consideration 37
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS
AND
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction 38
4.1 Data Presentation 39
4.2 Analysis of Research Questions 41
4.3 Test of Hypotheses 48
4.4 Discussion of Findings 50
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Summary 55
- Conclusion 56
- Recommendations 57
- Limitation of the Study 58
- Suggestion for further studies 58
REFERENCES 59
APPENDICES 66
LIST
OF TABLES
Table Page
- Showing the Categorization of the Midwives in the Study Area 34
- Showing an Outline of the Proposed Training Program 36
- Showing Demographic Characteristics of Participants 39
4.2 Showing Descriptive statistics of midwife’s years of experience and average number of nurse-midwives per shift in labour ward 40
4.3a Showing Knowledge on utilization of partograph 41
4.3b Showing Definition of partograph 42
4.3c Showing Assessment of midwives skills and knowledge on the utilization of partograph 43
4.3d Showing Summary of Descriptive and inferential statistics of pre-test knowledge of midwives on the utilization of partograph 44
4.4a Showing Frequency of usage of the
partograph for women in labour ward 45
4.4b Showing Percentage response showing the utilization of partograph by midwives in monitoring the progress of labour 45
4.5a Showing Training outcome of midwives on the
utilization of partograph 47
4.5b Showing Summary of Descriptive and inferential statistics of post-test knowledge of midwives on the utilization of partograph. 48
- Showing Descriptive statistics of post-test scores and cross tabulation of participants by treatments 49
- Showing t-test difference in pre-utilization of partograph by trained and untrained midwives 49
- Showing t-test difference in post-utilization of partograph by trained
- and untrained midwives 50
LIST
OF FIGURES
Content Page
APPENDICES
Appendix Page
- BUHREC Certification
- Informed Consent Form 66
- Questionnaire 67
- Pictures from Field Work 72
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Globally, labour
has been defined as a physiological process characterized by an increase in
myometrial activity resulting in cervical effacement and dilatation; followed
by the expulsion of the foetus from the uterus to the outside world. It is
therefore imperative for midwives to monitor the woman in labour utilising a
partograph in order to have a safe delivery; and to avoid obstructed and
prolonged labour (Ratchliffe, 2010).
A partograph is
an effective clinical tool used during labour surveillance for early diagnosis
of complications. The partograph is a
simple chart that, when used routinely for every birth, aids the monitoring of
labour and provides early warning of the need for intervention so health
workers can provide prompt, appropriate care (World Health Organisation, 2014).
Partograph was developed by an obstetrician named Friedman, which he tagged as
cervicograph as a result of its usefulness to monitor cervical dilatations.
Furthermore, cervicograph was adopted by Philpott in 1972 and he redesigned it
as partograph to serve as a practical device in the documentation of all
intrapartum observations and not only to monitor cervical dilatation, hence,
the phrase “Philpott’s partograph”. This new document contains action lines and
alert lines which are used to determine cases of prolonged labour.
In 1988, Safe
Motherhood Initiative established the adoption of partograph as a global
practical device that is of high quality to monitor labour and avert prolonged
labour. Furthermore, extensive examination was conducted in 2014 by WHO and the
organisation established a scientific based rationale for the use of partograph
as the aversion of maternal morbidity and prolonged labour. However, when
correctly implemented, partograph minimize cases of obstructed and prolonged
labour as well assist in identifying heart abnormalities which can have
intrapartum foetal hypoxia as its consequences.
(Cronje and
Grobler, 2012; Dangal, 2011) described the partograph as a graphical
representation of progressive stages of labour, related situations or parameters
on pregnant mother and foetus, displaying all investigation made during the
first stage of labour in a manner that will enable midwives and medical
practitioners to analyse, interpret and recognise if the pregnant woman has
moved into a high risk category and to respond decisively to the identified
problems.
With reference
to the World Health Organisation (2014), the utility of partograph to observe
pregnant women in labour does not serve as an alternative for proper assessment
of conditions that needs instant reference of pregnant women on the arrival at
the labour unit. World Health
Organisation (2014) further states that the partograph is developed for timely
identification of abnormal progress of labour and the aversion of prolonged
labour which would significantly reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage and
sepsis as well eradicate obstructed labour, prolonged labour, uterine rupture
and its sequelae. The organisation further affirm that the purpose of the use
of partograph to examine pregnant women in labour is to lessen morbidity and
mortality rate of pregnant women globally, to develop the level of care of
pregnant women during labour session, to develop the observational abilities
and skills of the midwives, to assist in the advancement of team work in a bid
to ease the referral to specialist units and promote timely referral from the
primary health units.
A randomized
study was conducted on 434 women in Mexico in 1966 to test for the
effectiveness of the utilisation of the partograph during labour using
Friedman’s partograph and a non-graphical descriptive chart. The women were
randomized to either Friedman’s partograph or a non-graphical descriptive
chart. The study revealed that those who were not put on the partograph had
more operative deliveries and more babies with low Apgar scores at 5
minutes. Another study conducted in
Karachi by Bhutta, Javed, and Shoaib,
(2010) tested the role of the partograph in preventing prolonged labour, the
objective of the study was to determine the effect of the partograph on the
frequency of prolonged labour, augmentation of labour, operative deliveries and
appropriate interventions based on the partograph to reduce maternal and
perinatal complications. A case-controlled
prospective and interventional study on 1000 women in labour was carried out in
the obstetric units of Jinna Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Five hundred (500) women were studied before
and after the introduction of the partograph. The results showed that there was
a reduction in both the duration of labour and the number of augmented labour
and vaginal examinations. It was
concluded that by using the partograph to monitor pregnant women in labour
reduced the frequency of prolonged labour, augmented labour, postpartum
hemorrhage, ruptured uterus, puerperal sepsis and perinatal morbidity and
mortality rates.
In spite of the
continual use of the partograph in the health care industry; and wide record
keeping of its effectiveness (Chongsuvivatwong & Fahdhy 2015; Fawole &
Fadare, 2010)
recorded variation attainable with the use of
partograph across health care facilities in Nigeria. It was revealed that in
two separate tertiary hospitals, 84% of midwives had good knowledge on
partograph and average of 31% of partograph graphs was correctly filled.
Hindrances in the effective utilisation of partograph were discovered by Opiah
on cases such as absence on the use of partograph charts (30.3%), and
under-staff (19.4%). The absence of knowledge and the use of partograph were
discovered by (Fawole et al. (2010); Daniel, Oladapo, & Olatunji, 2016)
among different levels of maternity health providers in all three levels of
health care. A report was also submitted showing that previous training
significantly improved the knowledge and accurate use of partograph.
Researchers also
indicated that tertiary health workers employs partograph unlike their
counterparts in secondary and primary level health workers. Furthermore,
research also indicates that just 33.7% cases of 1,319 deliveries were monitored
with the effective use of partograph which influenced decision making as well
as associated positive labour result available among low and high risk cases.
However the extent of which partograph is being employed neither attitude of
midwives as a means to attainment of effective or non-utilisation of partograph
is not available in literature. The aim of the utilisation of partograph is to
empower midwives with plotting, analysis and interpretation skills when
monitoring pregnant women in labour.
In the study
conducted by Chongsuvivatwong & Fahdhy (2015), it is stated that the
partograph was introduced in Indonesia in 1998, and the new version of the
World Health Organisation (WHO) partograph was brought into Indonesia in 2000. The aim of the study was to assess the
effectiveness of promoting the utilisation of the partograph by midwives caring
for women in labour. Previously, before
research, it was however discovered that utilisation of partograph was not
carried out by midwives because complains were given that partograph’s
completion is highly complicating. It was however observed that utilisation of
partograph was as a result of midwives education, training and supervision
which led to notable reduction in the number of vaginal assessment, augmentation
of labour, obstructed labour, poor Apgar score and increased transfer to
mention but a few. Furthermore Alfirevic, Lavendor and Walkinshaw (2016)
support that if progress of labour crossed the action line; a diagnosis of
prolonged labour was made and managed according to protocol. The results of
this study showed that the use of the 4 hour action line partograph improved
the maternal and neonatal outcomes.
The use of
partograph as a device for intrapartum assessment by midwives in sub-Saharan
Africa is still a challenge, a notion supported by the study conducted in South
West Nigeria by Adekanle, Fawole and Hunyinbo (2008) who found that a
partograph is commonly not employed to monitor pregnant women in Nigerian as a
result of insufficient idea about partograph.
Furthermore, the
authors concluded that the maternal mortality rate in Nigeria is a major public
health issue and continues to rise since a partograph is not effectively used
as a tool for monitoring labour. Nakkazi (2010) indicates that midwives often
feel that completing the partograph is an additional time-consuming task, and
they do not always understand how the utilisation of the partograph to monitor
pregnant women in labour can be life-saving. Thus, some midwives take the
partograph lightly as they plot the partograph when pregnant women who were in
labour have already delivered. Midwives often argue that they do not have time
to plot the partograph during the monitoring of pregnant women in labour. The
National Department of Health (2010) further states that all midwives should
employ the partograph when assessing pregnant women in labour so that problems
identified during monitoring of labour can be attended to promptly by both the
midwife and the attending doctor. Therefore, utilisation of the partograph
increases the analysis and interpretation skills of midwives, the monitoring of
pregnant women in labour and thus aids in providing standardized fetal and
maternal care, and accordingly improves midwifery care.
Researchers
ascertained that to effectively use the partograph, requires knowledge and
skills. Therefore, education, training and supervision of the midwives will
results in a higher rate of the utilisation of the partograph which will reduce
the number of virginal examinations, prolonged labour, augmented labour, poor
apgar score at first minute, obstructed labour and increased referral.
The
focus of this research therefore is to identify midwives’ knowledge on the use
of the partograph as a tool to monitor labor, comparatively assess the use of
the partograph among midwives in the hospital, assess level of deployment of
partograph as a device in each center, identify barriers to its use, determine
the existing relationship with the length of years of experience and knowledge
of the use of the partograph in the hospitals.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
A
number of research studies revealed that there are challenges associated with
the correct and consistent use of the partograph (Lester, 2010; Magon, 2011;
Mathibe-Neke, 2009; Opiah, 2011). The
findings from these studies reveal that there is poor utilisation of the
partograph, which were largely related to the midwives’ lack of competence and
knowledge on the use of the partograph. They submit further that non-
availability of the partograph, shortage of staff, lack of in-service training
and the number of years of experience in intrapartum care are also some of the
contributory factors associated with the poor utilisation of the partograph.
(Magon,
2011; Ogwang et al. (2009); Opiah, 2011) argued that caregivers may regard
filling of the partograph as an additional chore. The study conducted by Lavender, Lee, Mathai,
Omoni and Wakasiaka (2011) also revealed that partographs were filled in
retrospectively, and done only as a defensive practice to avoid being
reprimanded by the matrons. The researcher has also observed from clinical
practice that midwives do not utilise the partograph appropriately when
monitoring pregnant women in labour either by not plotting or incompletely
plotting the activities and also not interpreting the findings as appropriate.
Consequently, labour cases which carry impending dangers to both mother and the
foetus are not usually discovered and managed accordingly. These have often led
to an increase maternal/foetal mortality, morbidity and irreversible damages on
their lives. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine the Effect of
training midwives on the utilisation of partograph in General Hospitals in Ogun
East Senatorial District.
1.3 Objective of the study
The main objective of this study is to
evaluate the effectiveness of training midwives on the utilisation of
partograph in General Hospitals in Ogun East Senatorial District. The specific
objectives are to:
