Akiode, Akinsewa,Daroda, Ramatu,Fetters, Tamara,Oji, Ejike,Okeke, Bridget
Objective: To examine the impact of a national intervention to improve the postabortion care (PAC) content of midwifery education in Nigeria. Methods: A 3-part quantitative assessment was carried out during and post-intervention. The first baseline component developed and examined the intervention to improve teaching capacity and improve the PAC curriculum among 6 midwifery schools that were to become regional training centers. The second survey was a pre- and post-assessment conducted among midwifery instructors from all schools of midwifery schools were interviewed once 3-9 months after graduation to evaluate whether the intervention had improved their knowledge of PAC and clinical practice, and the likelihood that they would provide PAC after graduation. Results: Data from 6 schools of midwifery in 2003 showed that none offered PAC or had educators trained in PAC prior to the intervention. Incorporation of PAC content and teaching capacity increased in all 6 study schools during the 3 years after a national intervention. Midwifery instructors demonstrated statistically significant improvements in knowledge of and exposure to PAC and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) after the intervention. A follow-up interview with 149 student midwives post graduation showed increased knowledge, exposure to, and use of MVA in the workplace. Conclusion: Significant changes in graduate midwives' exposure, practice, and provision of PAC services resulted from a national intervention to improve the training environment and skills of midwifery instructors and students in the 6 schools of midwifery selected for evaluation. (C) 2010 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
"MANUAL VACUUM ASPIRATION","midwifery education","postabortion care",pre-service,COMPLICATIONS,INDUCED-ABORTION,"UNSAFE ABORTION","UNWANTED PREGNANCY"