Behavioural Practices and Associated Vaginal Infections Complaints among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at General Hospitals: A Cross-sectional Survey

Vaginal infection is alteration in vaginal microbiota, caused either by introduction of an organism or a disturbance that allows normally present pathogens to grow. The study assessed the behavioural practices and associated vaginal infections complaints among pregnant women attending antenatal care at general hospitals in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional survey utilized a 43-item (Behavioural Practices α = 0.91; Associated Risks of Vaginal Infection α = 0.82) questionnaire to study 391 pregnant women attending antenatal care. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25. Mean, standard deviation, Spearman Brown correlation, ANOVA, t-test and multiple regressions were applied in data analysis. Statistical significance was set at a p-value of less than 0.05. Results revealed positive correlation between associated risks and specific behavioural practices (toilet behaviour, bathing behaviour, clothing behaviour, and sexual behaviour, p < 0.001). The relationship between associated risks and overall behavioural practices (p < 0.001) was significant. No significant differences were observed in behavioural practices and associated risks. None of the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects predicted associated risks of vaginal infections. Behavioural practices had high predictive values of associated risks of vaginal infection among the participants especially bathing behaviour. Behavioural practices and associated risks results showed a positive relationship based on age but educational level, occupation, marital status and location did not predict associated risks of vaginal infections. The findings suggest the need to counsel pregnant women on personal hygiene during antennal visits.