A Comparison of the Characteristics of Maternal Near-Misses and Maternal Deaths in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria: A 3-Year Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal near-misses, also known as severe acute maternal morbidity, have become globally recognized as an appropriate indicator of obstetric care. Women experiencing maternal near-misses are more in number than maternal deaths, and can provide more specific and detailed evidence, as the patient herself can be a leading source of useful information. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of maternal near-misses and maternal deaths in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, document the primary determinant factor that caused these, and compare cases of maternal near-miss and maternal deaths. METHODS: This was a 3-year prospective study of all women admitted for delivery or within 42 days of delivery or termination of pregnancy at the hospital. Data were collected prospectively in consecutive patients in a pro forma manner and entered into SPSS version 17 for Windows. RESULTS: There was a total of 2,236 deliveries, of which 88 had severe maternal outcomes. Of the latter, 60 were maternal near-misses, while 28 suffered maternal death. The maternal near-miss:mortality ratio was found to be 2.14. The maternal mortality ratio here was 1,252 per 100,000. All the 88 women that had severe maternal outcomes lived at least 5 km from the hospital. The leading organ-system dysfunction in this study was cardiovascular, manifesting as shock and cardiac arrest, and respiratory, manifesting as gasping and cyanosis. Leading complications were severe hemorrhage, anemia, and hypertensive disorders. The pattern of complications was similar in both near-misses and maternal deaths, but cases of hypertensive disorders and exploratory laparotomy as an intervention for those with organ dysfunction were noted to be higher in near-miss cases, and differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that despite numerous similarities in the characteristics of patients who had had maternal near-misses or died, our study points out that those who succumb to death are often <40 years of age, poorly educated, unemployed, usually present as unbooked emergencies from a distance >5 km and suffer maternal death within 24 hours of presentation.

Maternal and perinatal outcomes of delivery after a previous Cesarean section in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Obstetricians in developing countries appear generally reluctant to conduct vaginal delivery in women with a previous Cesarean because of lack of adequate facilities for optimal fetomaternal monitoring. OBJECTIVE: To describe delivery outcomes among women with one previous Cesarean section at a tertiary hospital in Southeast Nigeria. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study to determine maternal and perinatal outcomes of attempted vaginal birth after Cesarean sections (VBAC) following one previous Cesarean section. Analysis was done with SPSS statistical software version 17.0 for Windows using descriptive and inferential statistics at 95% level of confidence. RESULTS: Two thousand six hundred and ten women delivered in the center during the study period, of whom 395 had one previous Cesarean section. A total of 370 women with one previous Cesarean section had nonrecurrent indications, of whom 355 consenting pregnant women with one previous Cesarean section were studied. A majority of the women (320/355, 90.1%) preferred to have vaginal delivery despite the one previous Cesarean section. However, only approximately 54% (190/355) were found suitable for trial of VBAC, out of whom 50% (95/190 had successful VBAC. Ninety-five women (50.0%) had failed attempt at VBAC and were delivered by emergency Cesarean section while 35 women (9.8%) had emergency Cesarean section for other obstetric indications (apart from failed VBAC). There was no case of uterine rupture or neonatal and maternal deaths recorded in any group. Apgar scores of less than 7 in the first minute were significantly more frequent amongst women who had vaginal delivery when compared to those who had elective repeat Cesarean section (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Most women who had one previous Cesarean delivery chose to undergo trial of VBAC, although only about half were considered suitable for VBAC. The maternal and fetal outcomes of trial of VBAC in selected women with one previous Cesarean delivery for non-recurrent indications were good. Obstetricians in this area should do more to allow VBAC in women with one previous Cesarean section for nonrecurrent indications.

Training health workers for magnesium sulfate use reduces case fatality from eclampsia: results from a multicenter trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at improving the case management of eclampsia. DESIGN: A multi-center intervention study. SETTING: Six teaching hospitals in Nigeria. SAMPLE: Clinical records of cases of eclampsia treated before and 1 year after the intervention. METHODS: Doctors and midwives in selected hospitals were re-trained to manage eclampsia using magnesium sulfate according to the Pritchard protocol. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Eclampsia case fatality rates, maternal and perinatal mortality rates before and after the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 219 cases of eclampsia were managed over a 12-month period. There were seven maternal deaths. The post intervention case fatality rate of 3.2% was significantly less than the pre-intervention rate of 15.1% (p < 0.001). The overall maternal and perinatal mortality ratios and rates respectively in the hospitals declined from 1199.2 to 954 per 100,000 deliveries and 141.5 to 129.8 per 1000 births, respectively (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: An intervention to build the capacity of care-providers to use an evidence-based protocol for the treatment of eclampsia in Nigeria was successful in reducing associated case fatality rate. The increased and widespread use of such an intervention in maternity units might contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality in low-income countries.

The impact of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine on the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia in pregnancy.

The Roll Back Malaria initiatives were introduced to ensure that 60% of pregnant women receive intermittent preventive anti-malarial treatment by the end of 2005 in an attempt to halve the mortality from malaria by 2010. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia in pregnant women on intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) compared with a control group. This comparative study involved testing the peripheral blood of pregnant women on IPT with SP and a control group that did not receive SP for the malaria parasite upon registration and at 34 weeks gestational age. The levels of parasitaemia in the intervention group upon registration (4.9%) and at 34 weeks (63.9%) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from that of the control group (10%) and at 34 weeks gestation (68.3%). IPT with SP during pregnancy did not significantly reduce the prevalence of the malaria parasitaemia among the pregnant women in our environment.

Stillbirth rate at an emerging tertiary health institution in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the stillbirth rate and factors predisposing to a stillbirth delivery at a teaching hospital in Nigeria, with the aim of identifying solutions. METHOD: A descriptive study of all stillbirths delivered at Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Nigeria between January 1 and December 31, 2009. The sociodemographic characteristics of the mothers were documented and the possible causes of death were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 153 stillbirths and 2064 total deliveries, giving a stillbirth rate of 74 per 1000 deliveries. Of the stillbirths, 52.3% were fresh and 47.7% were macerated. Women who had not received prenatal care had a significantly higher stillbirth rate (P<0.05). The most likely cause of a macerated stillbirth was a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, whereas the likely causes of fresh stillbirths were labor-related. The "3 levels of delay" and injudicious use of oxytocin in labor contributed to the intrapartum stillbirths (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The stillbirth rate recorded in the study institution is unacceptably high. Appropriate prenatal care, timely intervention, and prompt and appropriate intrapartum care are key to achieving a reduction in the stillbirth rate.

Does a preference for symphysiotomy over caesarean section reduce the operative delivery rate?

We analysed the data from a hospital that had practiced symphysiotomy and caesarean section (c/s) for many years and where symphysiotomy was acceptable to the parturient women, in order to determine the effects of symphysiotomy on c/s and on the overall operative delivery rates. Regression analysis revealed significant negative correlation between symphysiotomy and c/s (R = -0.610, P = 0.03 at 95% confidence interval [CI]) and a non-significant negative correlation between symphysiotomy and combined operative deliveries (R = -0.108, P = 0.383 at 5% CI). This study has confirmed that, in our environment, the practice of symphysiotomy significantly reduces the c/s rate and may save some women from operative deliveries in subsequent pregnancies. With the widespread aversion for c/s in the developing countries and a preference for symphysiotomy in some communities, symphysiotomy should be offered as an alternative to c/s whenever possible. Urgent revival of the dying skill of symphysiotomy is recommended in developing countries.

Depression among Nigerian women following pregnancy loss.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of depression in Nigerian women following spontaneous pregnancy loss and the coping strategies used. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of 202 Nigerian women who had involuntary pregnancy loss over a 1-year period. The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess the women. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the pregnancy losses occurred before 20 weeks of gestation and one-third occurred after 20 weeks. The majority of respondents (74.3%) had minimal depressive symptoms (scoring 50-59 on the depression scale), 3% had moderate symptoms (scoring 60-69), and 13.9% had severe symptoms (scoring 70-80). Risk factors for moderate to severe depression included being married, previous pregnancy loss, loss of a male fetus, childlessness, and losses after 20 weeks (P<0.05). Presence of a woman's husband, children, parents and relatives, friends, and religious observance were identified as positive coping strategies. CONCLUSION: Most Nigerian women suffer some level of depression following pregnancy loss, with no living children and losses after 20 weeks being the most significant risk factors.

The prevalence of anemia among pregnant women at booking in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: More than half of the pregnant women in the world have hemoglobin levels indicative of anemia. Knowledge of the current situation of the condition in our environment is necessary. This knowledge will motivate antenatal caregivers toward early detection and prompt management of anemia in pregnancy. AIMS: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women at registration for antenatal care at a major tertiary healthcare center in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 530 normal pregnant women registered with the antenatal unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, between January 1, 2005 and October 30, 2005. Data on the age, parity, gestational age at booking, interval between last confinement and last menstrual period in the index pregnancy, hemoglobin concentration at booking, and HIV status were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean gestational age at booking was 21.7 +/- 7.1 weeks (range, 6-37). Two hundred fourteen (40.4%) of the women were anemic (hemoglobin [Hb] < 11.0 g/dL). The majority (90.7%) of these anemic patients were mildly anemic, whereas 9.3% were moderately anemic. There was no case of severe anemia (Hb < 7.0 g/dL). The prevalence of anemia at booking was significantly higher in those who registered for antenatal care in the third trimester than in those who registered in the second trimester, and in HIV-positive pregnant women than in HIV-negative ones (P = .00). The patients' age, parity, and the interval between the last confinement and the index pregnancy had no significant relationship with the hemoglobin concentration of pregnant women at booking (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia in pregnancy at booking is still high in Enugu. Preconception care, including iron and folic acid supplementation, is advocated to reduce this problem. Early antenatal booking and improved antenatal care are also necessary for early diagnosis and treatment of the condition. All would ensure safe motherhood.