Evaluating the hemostatic effects of tranexamic acid in women with pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemostatic effects of tranexamic acid (TXA) ex vivo in women with pre-eclampsia. METHODS: This was an ex vivo study involving 45 normal pregnant women and 45 women with pre-eclampsia (nine with mild and 36 with severe features) matched for age, gestational age, and body mass index. Blood samples were collected and divided into two parts. The first served as the pre-TXA sample, while the second was spiked with TXA and served as the post-TXA sample. Plasma levels of D-dimer and plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The mean D-dimer and PAP values in the pre-TXA samples differed significantly between groups. Following spiking with TXA, the mean D-dimer and PAP levels did not differ significantly in the pre-TXA and post-TXA samples (P = 0.560 and P = 0.500, respectively) in the pre-eclampsia cohort. In normal pregnancy, the mean D-dimer and PAP levels in the post-TXA samples did not differ significantly (P = 0.070 and P = 0.050, respectively) from the pre-TXA samples following TXA spiking. CONCLUSION: TXA did not significantly affect D-dimer and PAP levels in pre-eclampsia, suggesting that TXA may not increase the thrombotic risks in patients with pre-eclampsia.

Universal versus selective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus among antenatal clinic attendees in Abakaliki: using the one-step 75 gram oral glucose tolerance test.

AIM: To compare universal screening with selective risk factor based screening for GDM, using the one-step 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). MATERIALS AND METHOD: A cross-sectional, comparison between universal and selective risk factor based screening for GDM, among 400 antenatal care clients at Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA). All the participants had 75 g OGTT at 24-28 weeks of gestation and risk factor screening for GDM. All 400 participants formed the universal group while participants with one or more of the considered risk factors formed the selective risk factor group. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Statistical comparison was done using t- test for continuous variables. Logistics regression was used to determine the level of associations of the independent predictors for hyperglycemia. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The point prevalence of GDM using universal and selective screening were 11.51 and 7.93% respectively, giving a selective screening miss rate of 31.11%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 73.58, 48.82, 19.12 and 92.51% respectively for the selective risk factor based screening compared to universal screening. On multivariate analysis; age ≥ 35 years, weight ≥ 90 kg, history of previous GDM and hypertension were significantly related to the development of hyperglycemia. CONCLUSION: Selective risk factor based screening missed 31.11% of patients with GDM when compare to Universal screening with one step 75 g OGTT. Universal screening for GDM using the one step 75 g OGTT is recommended for pregnant women and more studies are needed to compare pregnancy outcomes for pregnant women diagnosed with GDM with and without risk factors.

Early onset of neurological features differentiates two outbreaks of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state, Nigeria during 2017-2018.

Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness with various non-specific clinical manifestations. Neurological symptoms are rare at the early stage of the disease, but may be seen in late stages, in severely ill patients.The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological evolution, socio-demographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients seen during two Lassa fever outbreaks in Ebonyi State, between December 2017 and December 2018. Routinely collected clinical data from all patients admitted to the Virology Centre of the hospital during the period were analysed retrospectively. Out of a total of 83 cases, 70(84.3%) were RT-PCR confirmed while 13 (15.7%) were probable cases. Sixty-nine (83.1%) patients were seen in outbreak 1 of whom 53.6% were urban residents, while 19%, 15%, and 10% were farmers, students and health workers respectively. There were 14 (16.8%) patients, seen in second outbreak with 92.9% rural residents. There were differences in clinical symptoms, signs and laboratory findings between the two outbreaks. The case fatality rates were 29.9% in outbreak 1 and 85.7% for outbreak 2. Neurological features and abnormal laboratory test results were associated with higher mortality rate, seen in outbreak 2. This study revealed significant differences between the two outbreaks. Of particular concern was the higher case fatality during the outbreak 2 which may be from a more virulent strain of the Lassa virus. This has important public health implications and further molecular studies are needed to better define its characteristics.

Knowledge and Practices of Health-Care Waste Management among Health Workers in Lassa Fever Treatment Facility in Southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The threat of endemic, emerging, and reemerging infectious diseases, especially the viral hemorrhagic fevers demands effective health-care waste management (HCWM) among health-care workers. The study was intended to assess the knowledge and practices of HCWM among the cleaning staff in a Lassa fever (LF) treatment facility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 234 cleaning staff of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki recruited by systematic random sampling. Data collection was with semi-structured questionnaires. Knowledge and practices of respondents were assessed using cutoff score of 75%; score of 75% and above being interpreted as good and <75% as poor. Data were analyzed using Epi™ Info Version 7.2. RESULTS: There were 177 (75.6%) female and 57 (24.4%) male cleaning staff with a mean age of 33.4 years (±8.3). Among all the respondents, 18 (7.7%) had no formal education, while others had varying levels of education (primary, 43 [18.4%]; secondary, 133 [56.8%]; tertiary, 40 [17.1%]). Only 134 (57.3%) of the respondents had ever been trained on HCWM, of which 77 (57.5%) of them were trained in 2018. The proportion of respondents with good knowledge of HCWM was 41.5%. In addition, only 83 (35.5%) properly categorized the body parts, body fluids, and fetuses as pathological waste. About one-third, 77 (33.3%), had knowledge of steps in HCWM and 45.3% knew of diseases transmitted through health-care waste with 171 (62.8%) identifying LF as one of the diseases. The proportion of respondents with good practices of HCWM was 53.9% with only 131 (56.0%) segregating waste in specified color-coded containers. Among the factors examined, none was significantly associated with knowledge and practice of participants on HCWM. CONCLUSION: The proportions of the cleaning staff with good knowledge and practices of HCWM were low. There is a need to train and retrain hospital staff on proper HCWM as well as need for proper supervision and monitoring.

Choice of birth place among antenatal clinic attendees in rural mission hospitals in Ebonyi State, South-East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Low utilization of health facilities for delivery by pregnant women poses a public health challenge in Nigeria. AIM: To determine the factors that influence the choice of birth place among antenatal clinic attendees. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study of the eligible antenatal clinic attendees recruited at Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Afikpo and Saint Vincent Hospital, Ndubia in Ebonyi State from February 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016. Analysis was done using EPI Info 7.21 software (CDC Atlanta Georgia). RESULTS: A total of 397(99.3%) completely filled questionnaires were collated and analysed. Approximately 71% of the health facilities closest to the respondents had maternity services. It took at least 1 hour for 80.9% of the respondents to access health facilities with maternity services. Most (60.2%) of the respondents had at least one antenatal clinic attendance and majority of them did so at public hospitals. Approximately 43.8% of the respondents were delivered by the skilled birth attendants. The respondents' age and the couple's educational level, history of antenatal clinic attendance, distance of the health facility and availability of transport fare had a significant effect on delivery by skilled birth attendants. The common determinants of birth place were nearness of the health facilities, familiarity of healthcare providers, improved services, sudden labour onset and cost. Also 61.7% of the respondents chose to deliver in public health facilities due to favourable reasons but this could be hampered by the rudeness of some healthcare providers at such facilities. A significant proportion of private health facilities had unskilled manpower and shortage of drugs. CONCLUSION: A greater proportion of women will prefer to deliver in health facilities. However there are barriers to utilization of these facilities hence the need to address such barriers.

Lassa fever in pregnancy with a positive maternal and fetal outcome: A case report.

BACKGROUND: The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever are initially indistinguishable from other febrile illnesses common in the tropics and complications of pregnancy. Surviving Lassa fever during pregnancy is rare. Only few cases have been documented. The antiviral drug of choice is ribavirin. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 25-year-old multigravida farmer with fever who was initially thought to have malaria in pregnancy at 29 weeks gestation. Further changes in her clinical state and laboratory tests led to a confirmation of Lassa fever. The Liver enzymes were markedly deranged and the packed cell volume was 27%. She commenced on ribavirin and subsequently was delivered of a live male neonate who was RT PCR negative for Lassa fever virus. Her clinical state improved, repeat RT PCR on day 15 was negative and she made full recovery. DISCUSSION: The case reported had similar clinical features of fever and abdominal pain and resulted in the initial diagnoses of Malaria in pregnancy. When she failed to respond to antimalarial and antibiotics treatments, a strong suspicion of viral hemorrhagic fever was made. At this time the patient was in advanced stage of the disease with bleeding from vagina and puncture sites. On the third day of admission she was delivered of a live male neonate who remained negative after 2 consecutive RT PCR tests for Lassa fever virus. Lassa fever carries a high risk of death to the fetus throughout pregnancy and to the mother in the third trimester. Mothers with Lassa fever improved rapidly after evacuation of the uterus by spontaneous abortion, or normal delivery. She was clinically stable following delivery. Her laboratory investigations were essentially normal. Throughout her management transmission based precautions were observed. None of the six close contacts developed symptoms after been followed up for 21 days. CONCLUSION: This report adds to the body of literature that individuals can survive Lassa fever during pregnancy with good maternal and fetal outcome.

A cluster of nosocomial Lassa fever cases in a tertiary health facility in Nigeria: Description and lessons learned, 2018.

BACKGROUND: Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease endemic in Nigeria. The 2018 Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria was unprecedented, with 8% of all cases occurring among healthcare workers (HCWs). A disproportionately high number of these infections occurred in HCWs working in a tertiary health facility in Nigeria. This paper describes the cluster of Lassa fever infections among HCWs in a treatment centre and the lessons learnt. METHODS: We analysed clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data from surveillance and laboratory records kept during the 2018 outbreak. Interviews were conducted with surviving HCWs using a questionnaire developed specifically for the investigation of Lassa fever infections in HCWs. Descriptive analysis of the data was performed in Microsoft excel. RESULTS: The index case was a 15-year-old male who presented at the health facility with fever and uncontrolled nasopharyngeal bleeding, following a recent uvulectomy by a traditional healer. Overall, 16 HCWs were affected (15 confirmed and 1 probable) with five deaths (CFR-31.6%). Of the 15 confirmed cases, five (33.3%) were asymptomatic. Nine HCWs were direct contacts of the index case; the remaining six HCWs had no direct contact with the index case. HCW interviews identified a low index of suspicion for Lassa fever leading to inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) practices as possible contributing factors to nosocomial transmission. CONCLUSION: Maintaining a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever in all patients, especially in endemic areas, is essential in adhering to adequate IPC practices in health facilities in order to prevent nosocomial transmission of Lassa fever among HCWs. There is a need to continually train and sensitise HCWs on strict adherence to IPC measures while providing care, irrespective of a patient's provisional diagnosis.

Increase in Lassa Fever Cases in Nigeria, January-March 2018.

We reviewed data pertaining to the massive wave of Lassa fever cases that occurred in Nigeria in 2018. No new virus strains were detected, but in 2018, the outbreak response was intensified, additional diagnostic support was available, and surveillance sensitivity increased. These factors probably contributed to the high case count.

Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial prescription in a tertiary hospital in South East Nigeria: A call for improved antibiotic stewardship.

OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial prescribing practices and use contribute to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to global health. Information on antimicrobial prescribing and use are lacking in most developing countries, including Nigeria. This information is crucial for antimicrobial stewardship programmes, an effective tool in minimising AMR. This study was performed to gather baseline information on antimicrobial prescribing practices in Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on all inpatients of a tertiary hospital in South East Nigeria. All patients on admission on the day of the survey formed the study population. A standardised questionnaire, web-based data entry and validation process designed by the University of Antwerp, Belgium, were adopted. Information on basic patient demographics, antimicrobial agents used, indication for treatment, laboratory data prior to treatment and stop/review date was collected. RESULTS: Of 220 inpatients surveyed, 78.2% were receiving at least one antimicrobial agent. The highest prevalence of antimicrobial use was in the ICU (100%), adult surgical ward (82.9%) and paediatric medical ward (82.9%). Agents used were mainly third-generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone 25.1%) and nitroimidazole (metronidazole 24.6%). Antimicrobial prescription was empirical (91.1% in medical wards, 96.8% in surgical wards and 100% in ICU). There was limited use of guidelines but clear documentation of stop/review dates and reasons for antimicrobial use. CONCLUSION: Although a majority of antimicrobial prescriptions were made with indications, they were mostly prescribed empirically and the majority of prescriptions were parenteral formulations. There is a need to develop antibiotic guidelines, to educate prescribers on antimicrobial stewardship and to encourage targeted prescription.

Utilisation of preconception care services and determinants of poor uptake among a cohort of women in Abakaliki Southeast Nigeria.

Preconception care (PCC) is a preventive strategy for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and utilisation of PCC services. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted at a teaching hospital. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to extract information. A total of 450 participants responded; 44.2% (190/450) were aware, 31.7% (143/450) had good knowledge, while only 10.3% (46/450) received PCC. Health care providers were the main source of information (77.9%). There was statistically significant correlation between awareness and participants' level of education (p < .001) and residence (p < .001), as well as between utilisation and education (p < .001), and information from doctors (p < .001). There was a low level of awareness and poor utilisation of PCC, underpinning the need to scale up health education, establishment of functional PCC clinics and formulation of evidence-based guidelines to improve uptake and pregnancy outcome. Impact statement What is already known on the subject of the paper? PCC has been known in high-income countries as a prevention-based strategy, which aims at improving obstetric outcomes. However, the level of utilisation in low-income countries like Nigeria is either unknown or far too low. What do this study add? This work has provided local data on PCC; clearly indicating that the awareness and utilisation of PCC services in Abakaliki, Nigeria is very low when compared with other regions of the world, and this was influenced by the socio-demographic factors - particularly education and place of residence (for awareness), and level of education and information from health care providers (for utilisation), thus suggesting that enlightenment and improvement in social infrastructures could improve awareness, access and utilisation of PCC. What are the implications for clinical practice and/or further research? The implications of these findings in low resource settings like ours will include introducing interventions to scaling up health education, universal establishment of functional PCC units and formulation of evidence-based guidelines aimed at improving the uptake of PCC and pregnancy outcome. Further research will also be needed in future to assess the impact of such interventions and how to sustain potential benefits.

Determinants of adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-Positive women accessing prevention of mother to child transmission services in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Background: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV accounts for over 90% of all pediatrics infection globally. Strict adherence to antiretroviral drugs is needed to achieve maximal reduction of HIV transmission in pregnancy. Objective: To determine the level of adherence among HIV infected pregnant women on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission. (PMTCT) antiretroviral therapy and to establish the factors that contribute to poor adherence. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in which 268 HIV positive pregnant women were recruited by systematic sampling method from PMTCT clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki. Pre tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of PMTCT, barriers to PMTCT and obstetric characteristics were obtained. Knowledge on PMTCT was accessed and a score of <4 out of 5 indicated poor knowledge. Adherence Level was calculated using the respondent self-report using (3 day recall) and a value < 95% indicated poor adherence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi square and logistic regression (p ≤ 0.05). Results: The mean age was 30.7 ± 4.2 years. Two hundred and nineteen (81.7%) of the respondents were married, 124 (46.3%) were traders and 141 (52.6%) had secondary education. The prevalence of good adherence was 89.2% and 227 (89.0%) had good knowledge of PMTCT. Fear of being identified as HIV positive (21%) pregnancy related illness (13.7%) and forgetfulness (12.5%) were the most common reasons for non-adherence. Partner's support (OR=.03, 95% CI=0.01-0.09, p=0.001), and duration of ART (OR=4.39, 95% CI=1.3- 14.5, p=0.019) at bivariate analysis were found to be significantly associated with good adherence. Partners support (OR=0.027, 95%CI=0.01-0.09) retained the association with good adherence after controlling for cofounders. Conclusion: The study identified that stigmatization and pregnancy related illnesses were related to poor adherence while having Partners support improve adherence to HAART

Perceptions and practice of epidural analgesia among women attending antenatal clinic in FETHA.

BACKGROUND: The pain of childbirth is arguably the most severe pain that most women will endure in their lifetime. Epidural analgesia is widely used as an effective method of pain relief in labor. It provides almost complete relief of pain if administered timely, and does not affect the progress of the first stage labor. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the awareness and utilization of epidural analgesia in labor in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA). METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional study involving 350 women attending the antenatal clinic between April 2016 and July 2016. A total of 335 questionnaires were correctly completed, and used for analysis. RESULTS: The average age and parity of the respondents were 27.6±8.2 years and 2.4±1.8, respectively. About 58.2% of respondents were civil servants, 98.5% were married, and 74.6% had a tertiary level of education. About 43.3% of the respondents are aware of the use of epidural analgesia in labor, but only 7.5% had used it; 95% of these were satisfied and desired to use it again. The reasons responsible for the poor uptake were desire to experience natural labor, cost, and fear of side effects. However, 70% of those who had not used it expressed the desire to use it. CONCLUSION: Epidural analgesia is one of the most effective methods of pain relief in labor. However, the present study indicates that knowledge and practice of epidural analgesia among parturients are low. Efforts should be made to raise awareness, dispel misconceptions, and subsidize the cost of providing this invaluable care in modern day obstetrics.

Pentazocine Alone Versus Pentazocine Plus Diclofenac for Pain Relief in the First 24 Hours after Caesarean Section: A Randomized Controlled Study.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pain is one of the main postoperative adverse outcomes following caesarean section. Its management still remains a challenge especially in a low resource setting. AIM: To compare the efficacy of intramuscular pentazocine alone and combined intramuscular pentazocine with diclofenac for pain relief within 24 hours after caesarean section. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a double blind randomized control study of post caesarean section pain management of 140 participants between April and December, 2015 at the Federal Teaching hospital, Abakaliki. Inclusion criteria involved consenting and low risk parturients who had caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. The participants were randomly grouped into Pentazocine-Placebo (PP) group and Pentazocine-Diclofenac (PD) group. The PP group received pentazocine 30 mg every 4 hours for 24 hours and 3 milliliters of water for injection as placebo 12 hourly for 24 hours while the PD group received pentazocine 30 mg every 4 hours and diclofenac 75 mg every 12 hours for 24 hours. The level of pain control was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The data was analysed with IBM SPSS version 20.0. The level of significance was set at < 0.05. RESULTS: The use of PD for 24 hour post caesarean section analgesia achieved better pain relief, faster onset of postoperative ambulation, bowel sound auscultation and oral feeding than the use of PP (p-value ≤0.002). However, the use of PD is more expensive than PP (p-value =0.0001). There was no difference between the two groups of participants on the passage of flatus and duration of hospital stay (p-value≥0.05). The use of PP was associated with more maternal side effects (p-value=0.009). There was no difference on the level of satisfaction between the two groups of participants (p-value≥0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of PD for post caesarean section analgesia is more effective in achieving a satisfactory pain relief and has less side effects.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Healthcare Managers to Medical Waste Management and Occupational Safety Practices: Findings from Southeast Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Awareness of appropriate waste management procedures and occupational safety measures is fundamental to achieving a safe work environment, and ensuring patient and staff safety. AIM: This study was conducted to assess the attitude of healthcare managers to medical waste management and occupational safety practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 54 hospital administrators in Ebonyi state. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for qualitative data collection and analyzed with SPSS statistics for windows (2011), version 20.0 statistical software (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). RESULTS: Two-fifth (40%) of healthcare managers had received training on medical waste management and occupational safety. Standard operating procedure of waste disposal was practiced by only one hospital (1.9%), while 98.1% (53/54) practiced indiscriminate waste disposal. Injection safety boxes were widely available in all health facilities, nevertheless, the use of incinerators and waste treatment was practiced by 1.9% (1/54) facility. However, 40.7% (22/54) and 59.3% (32/54) of respondents trained their staff and organize safety orientation courses respectively. Staff insurance cover was offered by just one hospital (1.9%), while none of the hospitals had compensation package for occupational hazard victims. Over half (55.6%; 30/54) of the respondents provided both personal protective equipment and post exposure prophylaxis for HIV. CONCLUSION: There was high level of non-compliance to standard medical waste management procedures, and lack of training on occupational safety measures. Relevant regulating agencies should step up efforts at monitoring and regulation of healthcare activities and ensure staff training on safe handling and disposal of hospital waste.

Obstetric morbidity and socio-cultural predictors of ruptured uterus among women in Southeast Nigeria.

This study determined the incidence, obstetric morbidity and the socio-cultural factors associated with ruptured uterus. A 6-year prospective review of ruptured uterus and an enquiry into socio-cultural barriers to specialised care was conducted. The incidence of ruptured uterus was 12 per 1000 deliveries. Occurrence was common in uneducated (78/116; 67.2%), unbooked (110/116; 94.8%) and rural women (112/116; 96.6%). The major causes were prolonged obstructed labour (104/116; 89.7%) and injudicious use of oxytocics (90/116; 77.6%). The maternal and perinatal case fatality rates were 18.1% and 96.6%, respectively. Complications resulted from haemorrhage and sepsis. Lack of birth plan (97/116; 79.3%) and unskilled birth attendance (110/116; 94.8%) were major socio-cultural risk factors. There was an association between education (p = 0.001), parity (p = 0.002), residence (<0.001), type of birth attendance (<0.001) and ruptured uterus. Women in low-income settings face threats of complications and death from uterine rupture, owing to preventable socio-cultural barriers of accessing specialised obstetric care.

Obstetric benefits of health insurance: A comparative analysis of obstetric indices and outcome of enrollees and non-enrollees in southeast Nigeria.

This study determined the obstetric benefits and compared the obstetric indices and pregnancy outcome of enrollees and non-enrollees of the national health insurance scheme (NHIS). A prospective cohort study of enrollees and non-enrollees of NHIS was conducted over 2 years. Data was analysed with Epi-info statistical software. Malaria (25.3% versus 8.0%, p value ≤0.001), anaemia (11.3% versus 3.3%, p value ≤0.0001), preterm delivery (8.0% versus 2.7% p value = 0.00001), antenatal default rate (22.7% versus 6.7%, p value = 0.0001) and maternal death (2.7% versus 0.7%, p value = 0.00001) were higher in the non-insured. Singleton low birth weight (9.3% versus 2.7%, p value = 0.00001) and new born admission (10.7% versus 4.7%, p value = 0.00001) were also more in non-enrollee, with higher perinatal deaths (6.7% versus 2.0%, p value = 0.00001). Women managed under the Nigerian NHIS scheme had better maternal and perinatal indices, therefore, effort should be scaled up to ensure universal health insurance coverage for all parturient and their newborn.

Contraceptive prevalence and preference in a cohort of south-east Nigerian women.

BACKGROUND: Rates of fertility, population growth, and maternal deaths in Nigeria are among the highest in the world, with an estimated 4% of all births being unwanted and 7% mistimed. These are caused mainly by nonuse, inappropriate choice, and difficulty in accessing contraceptive commodities. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors influencing the choice and sources of contraceptive options among market women in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 330 market women of reproductive age in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A survey was carried out to identify their knowledge, use, and sources of contraception and the factors that influence their contraceptive practices. RESULTS: Knowledge of contraception was high (275 [83.3%]), and 229 (69.4%) of the study population approved of contraceptive use. However, only 93 (28.3%) of the respondents were currently using any form of contraception. Fifty-four women (16.3%) were using modern methods. The commonly used forms of modern contraception were the barrier method (male condoms, 27 [8.2%]), the oral contraceptive pill (10 [3.0%]), injectables (8 [2.5%]), and the intrauterine contraceptive device (7 [2.0%]). The most common source of contraceptive products was patent medicine dealers (58 [51%]). The main barriers to use of contraception were desire for more children (86 [26.1%]), religious prohibition (62 [18.8%]), spousal disapproval (32 [9.7%]), and the perceived side effects of modern contraceptives (25 [7.6%]). There was a significant association for approval of contraception when the model was adjusted for religion (odds ratio [OR] 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18-0.84; P=0.02); educational status (OR 2.84, 95% CI 0.96-8.40; P=0.04); parity (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.09-2.85; P=0.03); and social class (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.26-5.11; P=0.01). CONCLUSION: There is good knowledge about contraception among Nigerian women, but use of these products is low. The main barriers to use of contraception are the desire for more children, religious prohibition, and spousal disapproval.

Evaluation of clinical breast examination and breast ultrasonography among pregnant women in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer in pregnancy accounts for 2%-3% of all breast cancers. The increased vascularity and lymphatic drainage from the breast during pregnancy potentiate the metastatic spread of the cancer to the regional lymph nodes. However, the increased breast density in pregnancy makes it difficult to detect breast lesions early. AIM: To evaluate and compare the detection rate of breast lesions using clinical breast examination (CBE) and breast ultrasonography among pregnant women. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional comparative study involving antenatal clinic attendees at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, was conducted between March 3, 2014, and December 31, 2014. CBE and breast ultrasonography were done in the participants at booking and repeated at 6 weeks postpartum. Fine-needle aspiration cytology and histology were done in women with suspicious breast lesions on CBE or breast ultrasonography or both. Data analysis was both descriptive and inferential at the 95% confidence level using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 17.0. Test of significance was done using chi-square test. A P-value of less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 320 pregnant women participated in the study. Of these, 267 (83.4%) were aware of breast cancer. Although more lesions were detected with breast ultrasonography than by CBE, there was no statistically significant difference between them (25 versus 17; P=0.26). The histology of the lesions revealed 21 benign lesions and 4 normal breast tissues. The sensitivity of breast ultrasonography was 95.2%, while that of CBE was 66.7%. The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were similar between CBE and breast ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: The detection rates of breast lesions by both CBE and breast ultrasonography were equivalent during pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum, making CBE a convenient and very cost-effective method of detecting breast lesions in the low-risk population. However, both CBE and breast ultrasonography should be done in women with high risk of breast malignancy.

A 10-year appraisal of cesarean delivery and the associated fetal and maternal outcomes at a teaching hospital in southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The global rise in cesarean delivery rate has been a major source of public health concern. AIM: To appraise the cesarean deliveries and the associated fetal and maternal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a case series with data collected retrospectively from the records of patients delivered by cesarean section at the Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki over a 10-year period, from January 2002 to December 2011. Ethical approval was obtained. RESULTS: Of 14,198 deliveries, 2,323/14,198 (16.4%) were by cesarean deliveries. The overall increase of cesarean delivery was 11.1/10 (1.1%) per annum from 184/1,512 (12.2%) in 2002 to 230/986 (23.3%) in 2011. Of 2,097 case folders studied, 1,742/2,097 (83.1%) were delivered at term, and in 1,576/2,097 (75.2%), the cesarean deliveries were emergencies. The common indications for cesarean delivery were previous cesarean scars 417/2,097 (19.9%) and obstructed labor 331/2,097 (15.8%). There were 296 perinatal deaths, giving a perinatal mortality rate of (296/2,197) 134.7/1,000 births. Also, 129/2,097 (6.1%) maternal case fatalities occurred, giving a maternal mortality rate of 908.6/100,000 total births. Hemorrhage 57/129 (44.2%) and sepsis 41/129 (32.6%) were the major causes. CONCLUSION: The study recorded a significant increase in cesarean delivery rate. Previous cesarean scars and obstructed labors were the main indications. Perinatal and maternal case fatalities were huge. Hence, there is need for continued community education for its reduction.

Seroprevalence of human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) antibodies among blood donors at Enugu, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Human T-cell lymphotrophic/leukemia virus (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus implicated in transfusion-transmitted infection. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HTLV-1 antibodies among blood donors at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Eastern Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on consented participants over 4 months. A total of 300 blood donors were recruited consecutively from the blood bank. The serum of the collected 5 mL of blood obtained from each participant was stored at -20°C until required for analysis. The serum samples were then analyzed for antibodies to HTLV-1 using a one-step incubation double-antigen sandwich ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kit. Participants' demographic characteristics and degree of exposure to the risk factors associated with HTLV-1 infection were captured using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis of results was done using SPSS version 17. RESULTS: Of the 300 blood donors, 288 (96%) were male, while 12 (4%) were female. The average age of the blood donors was 26.85±8.52 years. The age group with the highest representation among the blood donors were those aged between 21 and 25 years. Only 22.3% of the blood donors were above 30 years. None of the 300 screened blood donors tested positive to HTLV-1 antibodies. Hence, the seroprevalence of HTLV-1 infection among blood donors was 0%. Of the blood donors, 5% had history of previous sexually transmitted disease, while 34.7% used condoms during sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: The seroprevalence obtained in this study cannot statistically support the justification of routine screening of blood donors for HTLV-1 infection. More prospective and multicentered studies are required to determine the infectivity of HTLV-1 in blood donors in Nigeria.