Assessment of Genital Hygiene Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinics in Selected Health Facilities in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Infection in pregnancy is a preventable cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Objectives: The study assessed the knowledge and practice of pregnant women on personal and genital hygiene. Methods: A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data among 427 pregnant women who were selected using a multistage sampling technique in Sokoto metropolis. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for continuous variables, categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages, and cross-tabulations were done to examine the relationship between categorical variables using Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression. The level of statistical significance was set at 5% (p<0.05). Results: The mean age of the participants was 28.3 ± 7.1 years; the majority (91.1%) of the participants had good knowledge of personal/genital hygiene, whereas a high proportion (82.9%) of them had appropriate practice of personal/genital hygiene. Participants with formal education had better knowledge of personal/genital hygiene (χ² =10.709, p = 0.002), and their marital and educational statuses were found to be the predictors of genital hygiene knowledge (aOR = 4.8, 95%CI = 1.8-13.2) and (aOR = 2.5, 95%CI = 1.1 – 5.7) respectively. Similarly, in addition to participants’ marital status, their spouses' occupations were found to be determinants of personal/genital hygiene practices.

Conclusion: The marital status and educational level of the respondents as well as the occupation of their spouses were found to be the determinants of personal/genital hygiene. Improving women's literacy level and empowering them will make their knowledge and practice of personal and genital hygiene better.