MA Healthcare, African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 1(15), p. 1-8, 2021
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Background The partograph is a graphic record of labour progress, and maternal and fetal condition, which was introduced to detect preventable maternal complications during parturition. It is plotted against time for intrapartum monitoring. There is a difference in how widely the modified partograph is used to monitor labour among health workers in primary healthcare across different countries, according to the World Health Organization. This study assessed primary healthcare workers' knowledge of how to use the partograph for labour monitoring in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods The study used a cross-sectional descriptive survey to recruit 136 purposively selected respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered for data collection. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. Hypotheses were tested using the Chi-square test and logistic regression at P<0.05 significance. Results The majority of respondents reportedly had good knowledge of how to use the partograph (72%) but did not use it when monitoring labour (82.4%). The odds of using a partograph was four times more likely in participants with good knowledge (odds ratio=3.61, P<0.000). Conclusions There is a need for collaboration across all tiers of government with the National Primary Health Development Agency to develop and implement health policies that will encourage the utilisation of a partograph for monitoring labour.