Alexander T. Owolabi

Cesarean section in relation to self-esteem and parenting among new mothers in southwestern Nigeria

Background. Maternal psychopathology and self‐esteem during childbirth may have an effect on maternal parenting self‐efficacy. Objective. This study aimed to asses the self‐esteem of newly delivered primiparous mothers who had cesarean section (CS) in relation to their parenting self‐efficacy. Methods. A total of 115 primiparous women who delivered by CS were compared with 97 matched controls who had vaginal delivery during the same period. They completed the Rosenberg self‐esteem scale prior to discharge. They also completed the parent–child relationship questionnaire at six weeks postpartum, together with the Rosenberg self‐esteem scale. Results. The mean score on the Rosenberg self‐esteem scale was significantly lower for the CS group, both prior to discharge (p = 0.006) and at six weeks (p < 0.001), than the vaginal delivery group. The mean score on the parent–child relationship questionnaire was also lower in those who had CS compared with those who had vaginal delivery (p < 0.001, OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.75–14.71). Conclusion. CS in Nigerian women is associated with lowered self‐esteem and predicts poor parenting self‐efficacy in the postnatal period. Psychological support and techniques to improve self‐esteem and parenting should be incorporated into the management of women having CS.

The effect of caesarean section on self-esteem amongst primiparous women in South-Western Nigeria: A case-control study

Objective. This study aims to assess the level of self-esteem of newly delivered mothers who had caesarean section (CS) and evaluate the sociodemographic and obstetrics correlates of low self-esteem in them. Methods. Newly delivered mothers who had CS (n = 109) and who had spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) (n = 97) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic and obstetrics variables within 1 week of delivery. They also completed the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Results. Women with CS had statistically significant lower scores on the self-esteem scale than women with SVD (p = 0.006). Thirty (27.5%) of the CS group were classified as having low self-esteem compared with 11 (11.3%) of the SVD group (p = 004). The correlates of low self-esteem in the CS group included polygamy (odd ratio (OR) 4.99, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.62–15.33) and emergency CS (OR 4.66, 95% CI 1.55–16.75). Conclusions. CS in South-Western Nigerian women is associated with lowered self-esteem in the mothers.