Perception of safety and consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

This cross-sectional study of antenatal clinic attendees aimed to determine the proportions of pregnant women that consider different alcoholic beverages safe for their babies; and the proportions that took them in the index pregnancy. Five hundred and six women completed the questionnaires. Mean age was 30.07 ± 5.13 years. Mean parity was 1.44 ± 1.32. 478 (94.5%) were married. Three hundred and eighty-three (75.69%) had tertiary education. These proportions did not consider these alcoholic beverages harmful in pregnancy: palm wine 35.77%, stout 17.03%, beer 14.03%, alcoholic wine 13.83%, ogogoro (distilled fermented palm wine) 13.04% and gin/spirits 9.88%. The proportion that consumed different alcoholic beverages during pregnancy were: palm wine 17.20%, beer 5.33%, alcoholic wine 4.35%, stout 4.15%, ogogoro 1.58% and gin/spirits 0.59%. Pregnant women who considered various alcoholic beverages safe in pregnancy were significantly more likely to consume them during pregnancy. Healthcare providers should assess women's perception of the safety of different alcoholic beverages and offer counselling to discourage their consumption during pregnancy.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Babies exposed to alcohol in pregnancy are at increased risk of developing foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. No safe level of alcohol has been established for pregnancy. The level of alcohol consumption by pregnant women is still high in our practice environment.What do the results of this study add? The perception that a specific alcoholic beverage is safe and not harmful to the foetus, significantly increases the likelihood of the consumption of that alcoholic beverage by a pregnant woman.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Healthcare workers will need to enquire about specific alcoholic beverages especially those common within their practice environment. An enquiry should be made on the perception of safety and their consumption during pregnancy. Women who perceive certain alcoholic beverages are more likely to consume them during pregnancy and hence should receive specific counselling on the alcoholic content of these beverages and the risk to their babies to discourage the consumption of that alcoholic beverage during pregnancy.

Trend in the use of intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD ,TCU 380A), in Enugu, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the acceptance rate and trend of Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) use in Enugu, Nigeria PATIENTS AND METHODS: A review of all new acceptors of intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) over a nine year period (1999-2007). RESULTS: A total of 133,375 clients were seen at the UNTH family planning clinic between 1999 and 2007. Out of 6,947 users of IUCD, during the period, 1,659 were new acceptors. The IUCD acceptance rate was 5.21%. Majority of the clients (29.7%) were aged 40 years and above. Eight hundred and forty seven (51.4%) had attained post secondary education. Majority of the clients (99.4%) were married . Twenty-six percent (26.0%) had completed their desired family size. Majority 1,359 (82.4%) did not use any method contraception prior to IUCD insertion. The commonest complication was menorrhagia (5.8%) and this was responsible for removal in 3.0% of cases. Eight (0.5%) and nine (0.6%) requested for removal for fear of causing cancer and migration to the brain or heart respectively. Two (0.1%) became pregnant while having the IUCD in-situ. Majority of the clients (50.5%) had the knowledge of lUCD through friends. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that IUCD (TCU 380A) is both safe and effective in Enugu, Nigeria. Its use is for both child spacing and limiting family size.

Presence of chaperones during pelvic examinations in southeast Nigeria: women's opinions, attitude, and preferences.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the opinions, attitude, and preferences of Nigerian women to the presence of chaperones during pelvic examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of first time gynecology clinic attendees on their opinions, attitudes, and preferences with respect to the presence of chaperones during their pelvic examinations. The interview was conducted with the aid of semi-structured, researcher-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: One hundred and nineteen (51.7%) of the respondents preferred female physicians for pelvic examination, 23 (10%) preferred male physicians and 88 (38.3%) had no gender preference. When the examining physician is a male, 124 (53.9%) respondents would like to have chaperones during pelvic examinations while 106 (46.1%) would not. Eighty-three percent of respondents preferred nurse chaperones. Age, level of education, and parity did not have any significant relationship with the attitude of the respondents toward the presence of chaperones ( P = 0.503, 0.525, and 0.605 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that most southeastern Nigerian women would prefer their pelvic examinations to be done by a female physician or to be attended by a nurse chaperone if the examining physician is a male. We recommend a routine offer of chaperones during such examinations while respecting the patients' right to refuse the offer.

Obstructed labour in Enugu, Nigeria.

All cases of obstructed labour seen and managed at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, between January 1999 and December 2004 were identified from the Accident and Emergency department records, labour ward and obstetric theatre records. There were 4,521 deliveries during the study period and 120 (2.7%) of these were complicated by obstructed labour. Of the 120 women, 68 (56.7%) were nullipara. A total of 41 women (34.2%) were booked, 70 (58.3%) unbooked, and 9 (7.5%) booked elsewhere. Most women were in occupational social class V. The cause of obstruction was cephalopelvic disproportion in 68 women (56.6%). The most common intervention was a lower segment caesarean section. Perinatal mortality was 30%. There were four maternal deaths (3.3%). Obstructed labour remains a major public health problem in Nigeria contributing significantly to perinatal mortality and maternal morbidity and mortality.