Correlates of body image among pregnant women and decision to breastfeed after childbirth

Chiejina EN* and Odira CC

Department of Nursing Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State.

*Corresponding author E-mail: nkechichiejina@yahoo.com; Phone number: +2348037463279

Accepted 08 October, 2012

Abstract

The study examined the correlates of body image among pregnant women and their decision to breastfeed after childbirth. The population of the study was prenatal women in their third trimester selected from three Hospitals and one Health Centre in Anambra State of Nigeria, and the sample size was 200. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire on Body Image and Decision to Breastfeed (QBIDBF). Mean scores, standard deviation (SD) and Spearman Rank Correlation co-efficient (rho) were used to answer the research questions while Wilcoxon Rank Sum test statistics was adopted in testing the null hypotheses at 0.01 Level of significance. The result indicated significant correlation between pregnant women’s body image and the body satisfaction they derive from decision to breastfeed. Social influence and residential location were found to have significant impact on expectant women’s body image with regard to their decision to breastfeed. It also showed that marital status of pregnant women was not significantly related to their body image with regard to their decision to breastfeed.

Keywords: Body image, Body satisfaction, marital status, residential location, social influence, pregnant women, decision to breastfeed.