Knowledge and perception of the implications of rhesus incompatibility on the choice of marriage partner among public secondary school students in Ogbomoso, Southwest, Nigeria

Introduction: Rhesus (Rh) factor compatibility is crucial for couples, and its awareness is especially important in making decisions on partner choice, to ensure a healthy pregnancy and childbirth. It is essential to understand blood types and potential incompatibility problems before committing to a partner. Objective: To assess the knowledge and perception of the implications of rhesus incompatibility on the choice of marriage partners among public secondary school students in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive multi-stage study design was conducted in selected public secondary schools in Ogbomoso, southwest Nigeria. Data obtained using a self-administered structured questionnaire were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25, and the results obtained were presented in tables. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Most of the respondents (69.61%) had poor knowledge about Rh incompatibility. Most respondents (77.14%) would not consider the Rh Factor when choosing a partner for a serious relationship, while only 18.44% would do so when choosing a partner for a serious relationship. Conclusion: Findings from this study reveal inadequate knowledge of Rhesus incompatibility and its implications on the choice of partner. It is therefore pertinent for secondary school students to have adequate knowledge of the implications of the blood grouping system of a partner before marriage and raising a family.