Antenatal blood donation: Perception of pregnant women in a rural community Northwest Nigeria

Background: Reduction of maternal mortality from Obstetric haemorrhage requires a multipronged approach; however, availability of safe blood and transfusion is essential to it. Objectives: To evaluate pregnant women perception towards blood donation by their relatives/spouses for them during antenatal period and attitude towards compulsory blood donation. Method: A cross-sectional study using an interviewer-administered semi-structured pretested questionnaire was used to assess the perception of pregnant women to blood donation by their relatives/partner during antenatal care. The data was analysed using SPSS. Result: Four hundred respondents, ages ranged from 15 - 45 years with a mean of 30.9 ± 5.80 years and parity ranged from 0 - 12 with a median of 24(Interquartile range of 25,20;50, 24; 75, 29.8 ). Three hundred and eighty-six (96.5%) were married; 258 (64.5%) knew that they may need blood during childbirth ofwhich 228 (88.4%) would rely on their relatives/partners to donate the blood. Three hundred and thirty-two (83.0%) were willing to ask their partners /relatives to donate blood for them during antenatal care, while 68(17.0%) opposed it for various reasons. Occupation, marital status, parity and age were found to be statistically significant(X[2]= 24.8 P = 0.0001; X[2] = 8.18, P =0.0004 ; X[2]=15.39 P= 0.000 and X[2]= 22.14 P= 0.0001 respectively) Conclusion: Majority of the respondents were aware that they may require blood during pregnancy or childbirth for which they believed that their partners/relatives would donate blood for them if requested to do so; although one -fifth would rather wait until the need arises. Knowledge of voluntary blood donation is poor among the respondents. Public enlightenment would help to address these gaps