Assessing women's knowledge on the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of pain relief during labour at Tema General Hospital.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Physician Assistantship Studies, School of Medical Sciences, Central University, Accra, Ghana. [email protected].
- 2Department of Physician Assistantship Studies, School of Medical Sciences, Central University, Accra, Ghana.
- 3Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
- 4Department of Pharmacy, Abura Dunkwa District Hospital, Ghana Health Service, Abura Dunkwa, Ghana.
- 5Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
Abstract
Background
In many low-resource settings like Ghana, labour pain is often endured without adequate relief due to limited access to information and services. Understanding women's knowledge is crucial for improving maternal care and empowering women during childbirth.Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 postpartum women at Tema General Hospital in Ghana. Using interviewer-administered questionnaires, we assessed knowledge of pain relief methods, identified information sources, and explored perceived benefits. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression.Results
Significant knowledge gaps were identified, with only 55% of women aware of any pain relief methods. Education was the strongest knowledge associated factor; women with tertiary education had nearly three times the odds of adequate knowledge compared to those with primary education. The internet (15.3%) was the most common information source, surpassing healthcare providers (midwives and doctors combined: <16%). While epidural anesthesia was recognized by 48.3%, awareness of low-intervention methods like upright birthing positions was critically low (4.2%). Women viewed pharmacological methods primarily for pain minimization and non-pharmacological approaches for safety, indicating limited understanding of holistic benefits.Conclusions
Knowledge of labour pain relief is strongly influenced by education and often sourced outside clinical settings. To address these gaps, we recommend restructuring antenatal education to be more inclusive, training providers in proactive counseling, and leveraging digital tools for credible information. Integrating pain relief as a core component of respectful maternity care is essential for improving childbirth experiences in Ghana and similar contexts.
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BibTeX
@article{teiko2026assessing,
title = {{Assessing women's knowledge on the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of pain relief during labour at Tema General Hospital.}},
author = {Dorcas Akuorkor Teiko and Golda Owusu Agyemang and Phoebe Naa Dromo Teiko and Dennis Amankwah and Christopher Yaw Dumevi and Sheila Matilda Ayorkor Tagoe},
journal = {BMC pregnancy and childbirth},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12884-026-09745-3},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42963762},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Assessing women's knowledge on the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of pain relief during labour at Tema General Hospital.
AU - Dorcas Akuorkor Teiko
AU - Golda Owusu Agyemang
AU - Phoebe Naa Dromo Teiko
AU - Dennis Amankwah
AU - Christopher Yaw Dumevi
AU - Sheila Matilda Ayorkor Tagoe
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/03
JO - BMC pregnancy and childbirth
DO - 10.1186/s12884-026-09745-3
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42963762
AB - Background In many low-resource settings like Ghana, labour pain is often endured without adequate relief due to limited access to information and services. Understanding women's knowledge is crucial for improving maternal care and empowering women during childbirth.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 postpartum women at Tema General Hospital in Ghana. Using interviewer-administered questionnaires, we assessed knowledge of pain relief methods, identified information sources, and explored perceived benefits. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression.Results Significant knowledge gaps were identified, with only 55% of women aware of any pain relief methods. Education was the strongest knowledge associated factor; women with tertiary education had nearly three times the odds of adequate knowledge compared to those with primary education. The internet (15.3%) was the most common information source, surpassing healthcare providers (midwives and doctors combined: <16%). While epidural anesthesia was recognized by 48.3%, awareness of low-intervention methods like upright birthing positions was critically low (4.2%). Women viewed pharmacological methods primarily for pain minimization and non-pharmacological approaches for safety, indicating limited understanding of holistic benefits.Conclusions Knowledge of labour pain relief is strongly influenced by education and often sourced outside clinical settings. To address these gaps, we recommend restructuring antenatal education to be more inclusive, training providers in proactive counseling, and leveraging digital tools for credible information. Integrating pain relief as a core component of respectful maternity care is essential for improving childbirth experiences in Ghana and similar contexts.
SN - 1471-2393
ER -