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.

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.