Pregnant Nigerian women’s view of cesarean section

Objective: Cesarean section (C/S) is still being perceived as an abnormal means of delivery by many antenatal women in Nigeria. This study aims to determine the perceptions of antenatal clients in the southeastern Nigeria on C/S. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a structured questionnaire administered to 300 consenting pregnant clients attending the antenatal clinic. The data were analyzed and presented in a simple frequency table. Results: The average C/S rate in the hospital was 16.6%. Only 4 (1.4%) viewed C/S as very good and elected to undergo C/S. Thirty-four (12.3%) considered C/S as bad and would reluctantly undergo the procedure. Two hundred and twenty-five (81.2%) would accept C/S if their life or that of their fetus is in great danger. Conclusion: This study affirms previous suspicion that a significant proportion of antenatal clients are averse to C/S and the negative cultural perception of the people to C/S reinforced this aversion.