Ruptured uterus in South Western Nigeria: a reappraisal.

INTRODUCTION: Rupture of the gravid uterus is a grave obstetric complication that is associated with high maternal and perinatal mortality rates. In Nigeria, the incidence remains high and continue to increase because of poverty, illiteracy, unavailability of manpower, poor supply of medical equipment and consumables, and dwindling health care funding. METHODS: A 10-year retrospective review of all cases of ruptured uterus seen at the Obafemi Awolowo University teaching hospital complex in Ile Ife, Nigeria was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 61 cases of ruptured uterus from 16,683 deliveries were recorded, giving a ratio of 1 in 273. Predisposing or aetiological factors for rupture were: prolonged labour (91.8 percent), grand multiparity (50.8 percent), injudicious use of oxytocin (41.0 percent), uterine scar (26.2 percent), obstetric manipulation (4.9 percent) and abnormal lie (14.8 percent). Fifty-six patients had surgery, of which 14 (25.0 percent) had total abdominal hysterectomy, 16 (28.6 percent) had subtotal hysterectomy, 15 (26.8 percent) had repair of the rupture and bilateral tubal ligation, and 13 (19.6 percent) had repair only. Thirteen maternal deaths occurred with a case fatality rate of 21.3 percent. CONCLUSION: Ruptured uterus remains a problem in Nigeria, with primary health centres and mission houses being identified as major contributors to this condition. They primarily failed in the recognition of abnormalities in the antepartum and/or intrapartum periods, with delays in referral and the injudicious use of oxytocin.

Delivery outside hospital after antenatal care: prevalence and its predictors.

Over a period of 5 years (1994 - 1998), of 9519 women who booked for antenatal care at the two tertiary hospitals of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile Ife,-Nigeria,12.8% (1220) defaulted from hospital delivery. The casenotes of these patients were retrieved from the medical records department and were sorted into two groups of defaulters and non-defaulters from hospital delivery. Information obtained from the casenotes includes sociodemographic characteristic, past obstetric and present obstetric history. Bivariate analysis revealed six potential predictors; however, following adjustment by multiple logistic regression, only history of previous delivery outside the hospital (OR = 3.13, CI = 2.06 - 4.67), planned elective caesarean section in current pregnancy (OR = 2.03, 1.66 - 2.75), caesarean section in last delivery (OR = 1.93, CI = 1.57 - 2.76) and objection to admission in the current pregnancy (OR = 1.33, CI = 1.04 - 1.65) remained as significant predictors.