Awareness of Causes of Puerperal Infection Among Postpartum Women in Kapchorwa District

Abstract

Puerperal sepsis is one of the preventable causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of causes of puerperal sepsis.

Methods: the study was carried out in Kapchorwa hospital antenatal clinic over a period of two weeks by use of questionnaires. 263 pregnant women who attended the clinic during this period were interviewed to determine their level of awareness of the causes of puerperal sepsis and its prevention. Responses were presented in tables, bar charts and pie charts. Findings showed that only 74 (28.1 %) were aware of the condition leaving out 189(71.8 %) ignorant of puerperal sepsis. This was attributed to institutional, health worker, and client factors ranging from lack of clinical guidelines, lack of knowledge by service providers, poor client education, non-attendance of antenatal clinic by pregnant women, and low socioeconomic status.

Conclusion: there is very little known about puerperal sepsis in Kapchorwa hospital. This calls for improved joint effort by the health service providers to identify interventions to ensure increased awareness of this condition in all levels of delivering maternal health.

Key words: Puerperal sepsis, Awareness, maternal mortality and morbidity, Antenatal clinic ANC.