Womens post abortion self-care and practices: A case of women attending the Mpilo Hospital Gynecology clinic in Zimbabwe

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Juliet Ndhlovu

National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe

: J Womens Health, Issues Care

Abstract

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This study is a qualitative enquiry, which used a phenomenological approach, the study sought to assess the self-care knowledge and practices among women who had abortion in their previous pregnancies The central point of the problem statement is that the women lack counseling/education on discharge post abortion on how to care for themselves at home and using some positive practices on self-care. The objectives of the study were to explore women’s knowledge of self-care post abortions, explore women’s self-care practices post abortion and to establish barriers to self-care among women post abortion. The populations under study were women who had a history of abortion whether spontaneous or induced. Sampling was done through convenience/purposive sampling and the sample consisted of 12 women. Data was collected through semi- structured interviews after they had voluntarily consented. The interviews were conducted in private settings and confidentiality was maintained through use of alphabetically corded audio recordings. Data analysis was done using Colaizzi’s strategy for data analysis a method cited in Polit and Beck (2014). The emergent themes were identified through a decision trail, which involved listening to the audio recordings, verbatim transcripts and a vertical summary of the individual transcripts and then identifying themes that ran across all conversations. The themes that emerged from the women were lack of counseling and education on discharge, lack of knowledge on self -care, practices which hinder women to care for self and lack of emotional support. The recommendations made were The midwives need to strengthen the counseling and education skills to women upon discharge so that they are well informed on how to care for themselves at home, More research studies to be done in relation to women’s post abortion self-care knowledge and practices so as to prevent post abortion complications, reduce maternal morbidity and mortality and to ensure meeting the sustainable millennium goal number 5,there is need to for midwives to be cultural and religious sensitive during care of these women not to ridicule, discourage harmful practices and encourage harmful ones in a more sensitive manner, There is need for community involvement and sensitization on post abortion care, so as to build up support of women by significant others at home.

Biography

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Miss Juliet Ndhlovu is a 56 year old Midwifery/Nurse Educator in Zimbabwe. She holds a Master’s Degree in Midwifery Education from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe, Bsc Nursing Degree majoring in MCH and Nursing Education with the Zimbabwe Open University, Diploma in Midwifery and a Diploma in General Nursing, a certificate in Family Planning and Intrauterine device insertion, a certificate in Syndromic Management of Sexual Transmitted Infections. She teaches General Nursing students at Mpilo Central Hospital, the second largest Central Hospital in Zimbabwe. She teaches theory in General Nurse students and supervises, mentors them in the clinical area and supervise the students in research writing. She an active member of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives Association and Zimbabwe Nurses Association. She has attended various conferences of the above mentioned associations. She is currently a committee member at a branch of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives Association.