Cesarean Section in Nigeria: Counseling, Informed Consent, and Debriefing Fact Sheet

It presents the key findings and recommendations from a mixed-methods study conducted in Ebonyi and Sokoto States in Nigeria between November 2022 and March 2023. The study aimed to understand attitudes, preferences, and practices related to counseling, informed consent, and debriefing in the context of both emergency and non-emergency surgical obstetric care. The key findings include high awareness of cesarean section but stigma persists, lack of policies, protocols, and documented processes for counseling, informed consent, and debriefing, and health system constraints and societal norms impacting counseling, informed consent, and debriefing. The recommended actions include training and supporting health workers, improving the patient-health worker relationship, establishing procedures for counseling, informed consent, and debriefing, improving staff welfare, conducting social mobilization, providing financial assistance and awareness, and improving data management.