Post-partum practices among women in Calabar, Nigeria.

We carried out a study on post-partum practices amongst women in Calabar at the maternal and child health clinic at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital between 1 March and 31 May 2002. Three hundred women were interviewed. One hundred and ninety-three (64.3%) resumed coitus prior to 6 weeks of puerperium. There was no significant difference in parity (P = 0.20) and educational status (P = 0.10) between women who resumed coitus earlier than 6 weeks and those who resumed later. One out of every 10 women resumed coitus without any contraception. The majority [212 (70.7%)] sat in hot water (sitz bath) to aid perineal wound healing and improve vaginal tone.