Authors: Stephen Onwere O Okoro B Chigbu A Onwere
Publish Date: 2007/12/18
Volume: 278, Issue: 2, Pages: 115-117
Abstract
Clinical breast examination CBE provides an important screening tool for the earlier detection of breast cancer among women in populations such as ours where mammography is not widely available as a screening tool There is a paucity of data on the level of practice of antenatal CBE by healthcare providers at Aba South Eastern NigeriaA descriptive study involving 100 consecutive and consenting patients at the antenatal clinic of Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba South Eastern Nigeria over the period 1 June–15 June 2007 was carried out Using a structured questionnaire the respondents’ sociodemographic data were obtained as well as their knowledge of breast cancer and of what breast cancer examination screens for and selfreported data on their having ever received CBE during the current antenatal periodThe knowledge of breast cancer was poor Although 99 of the women had heard of breast cancer only 34 of them knew what breast examination screened for whilst only 1 and 2 had received CBE by doctors and nurses respectively during the current antenatal period No breast abnormalities or suspicious nodes were detected during the antenatal CBEsThe level of practice of routine antenatal CBE by healthcare providers is very low in our setting Healthcare providers should perform a thorough breast examination at the first prenatal visit and maintain a high index of suspicion for breast cancer throughout pregnancy
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