Demand and Significance of Informal Postnatal Care Support System in Lagos State: A Feasibility Study

Aims: To make a research case for an innovative intervention by evaluating the demand and determinants of informal postnatal care and support.

Study Design: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Itire and Yaba in Lagos State, Nigeria. Data collection lasted for two weeks.

Methodology: A semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. A total number of 249 women were chosen using estimated extrapolations from secondary data that had been collected on women of reproductive age. Respondents were recruited based on convenience and willingness to take part. We carried descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient tests on the cleaned data..

Results: More than half of the respondents, 54% were from Itire while 46% were from Yaba; 90% were between 25–44 years. Seventy-eight percent of the women had vaginal delivery, and 26% underwent a caesarian section; about 13% reported delivery complications. More than half (52%) of respondents’ families gave postnatal support, 37% received postnatal support from in-laws and 8% from multiple sources. During the postnatal period, 65% of the respondents reported doing exclusive breastfeeding, while 35% reported giving milk and other feeds. Only 9% of women used chlorhexidine gel for newborn cord care. Majority of the respondents, 76% used methylated spirit and 15% used herbal mix heated on kerosene lanterns or various kinds of toothpaste and other substances. Only 19% of the women had begun family planning. Though the majority (94%) found the postnatal support received helpful; 65% were open to professional help. Willingness to use professional postnatal support was significant among respondents who had delivery complications (p=0.02) and those who were from the Yaba axis (p=0.03).

Conclusion: The findings revealed an information gap when compared to standard recommended postnatal practices and a demand for professional guidance hence the need for innovative approaches to equip women and their informal support with adequate postnatal information.