PERCEPTION OF MATERNAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM OF WOMEN WITH FIRST TIME PREGNANCY EXPERIENCE IN NSIT UBIUM LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

This study focused on the perception of maternal health system of women with first time pregnancy experience in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. In order to unravel the perception, three objectives and three research questions were raised. A purposive sampling technique was used to select fourty first time pregnant women for the research. As a qualitative research, demographic details of the respondents were presented using descriptive statistics and information generated through the respondents through indepth interview was analyzed using thematic analysis. The theory of planed behaviour was employed to explain the perception of first time pregnant women. Findings revealed that the first time pregnant women were occupied with fear arising from maternal injury, maternal morbidity, and maternal mortality. The study recommended among others, education and awareness for first time pregnant women through the mobile clinic option strengthening of the economic and social support for first time pregnant women before, during, and after pregnancy in order to eliminate the age long experiences towards maternal health system.