title: Cesarean section in relation to self-esteem and parenting among new mothers in southwestern Nigeria.
abstract: 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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. bisiloto@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Olabisi Morebise
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Loto
authors.forename: Abiodun O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adewuya
authors.forename: Olusegun K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Ajenifuja
authors.forename: Ernest O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Orji
authors.forename: Emmanuel Olufemi
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ayandiran
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Owolabi
authors.forename: Idowu Pius
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Ade-Ojo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009549:Nigeria; D016487:Parenting; D012649:Self Concept