Feto-maternal outcomes of caesarean delivery in Federal Medical Centre, Asaba: a two year review

Background: The upward trend of caesarean section and its associated morbidity/mortality especially in low- and middle-income areas make regular appraisal of the procedure necessary. Objective: To evaluate caesarean section; its rate, indications, and maternal and fetal outcomes in Asaba. Methods: A retrospective study of all caesarean sections carried out at the obstetrics unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, between July 1, 2018, and June 31, 2020. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: There were 2778 deliveries during the period, out of which 705 had caesarean sections, giving an overall caesarean section rate of 25.4%. There were 456 (64.7%) emergency caesarean sections. The commonest indication for caesarean section was repeat caesarean section 196 (27.8%), while cephalo-pelvic disproportion 87 (12.3%) was the commonest indication for emergency caesarean section. Majority of the babies had low APGAR score at 1min and 5mins, 126 (27.6%) and 50 (11.0%) from emergency than elective caesarean section 16 (6.4%) and 5 (2.0%) at 1min and 5mins respectively (x2=17.963, P<0.001). There were 31 (4.2%) perinatal deaths out of which majority 28 (6.1%) were from emergency caesarean sections (x2=9.412 P=0.002). The commonest post-operative complication was postpartum anemia (140 (19.9%) while caesarean section case fatality was 0.6%. Conclusion: This study showed a caesarean section rate of 25.4% with repeat caesarean section and Cephalopelvic disproportion being the most common indication for elective and emergency caesarean section respectively. Emergency caesarean section accounted for most of the cases and is associated with a higher risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality

Provincial differentials of the effect of internal migration on teenage fertility in South Africa

This study investigated the association between internal migration and teenage fertility in South Africa. Data were from the 2007 and 2016 South African community surveys, N2007= 89800 and N2016=239733, age range 12 to 19, black teenagers= 81.5% and 89.4%, respectively. Results showed that between 2007 and 2016 internal migration levels decreased by 2% nationally, but increased for Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal provinces. Teenage fertility levels decreased in all provinces except the Northern Cape in the study period. In both years teenage fertility was observed at higher levels among girls that were older, heads of households, and who were in secondary schooling. Random-intercept multilevel binary logistic regression revealed that the risk of teenage fertility differed between more rural and urban provinces. In provinces that were predominantly rural the risk of teenage pregnancy increased as community-levels of internal migration increased while the risk decreased as internal migration increased in provinces that were predominantly urban. Findings suggest that the effects of internal migration on teenage pregnancy are largely dependent on the local context making it necessary to create interventions that are context-specific at sub-national levels.

Role of Conflict in Shaping Fertility Preferences in Rwanda

Conflicts affect the social and economic conditions that could account for the stall in fertility decline in Sub-Saharan Africa. For Rwanda; the total fertility rate decreased very rapidly to 6.1 in the eighties but stalled at that level in the nineties. Part of the stall can be attributed to a lack of fertility control; but the question is whether social upheaval also affects fertility preferences. We identify three mechanisms through which the Rwanda conflict have led to a preference for larger families: mortality experience; modernization and the attitudes of third parties. Using data from DHS; we tested the contribution of these mechanisms to the preference for small; medium or large families. With the exception of sibling mortality; there is a strong impact of these mechanisms on the preference for large families; yet they do not fully account for the shifts in preferences over the years

Stillbirth Rates in Singleton Pregnancies in a Stable Population at Karl Bremer and Tygerberg Hospitals Over 50 Years

Objectives. To determine the changes in stillbirth rates in singleton pregnancies in a stable population over a period of 50 years. Methods. Stillbirth rates for singleton pregnancies where the fetus weighed 1 000 g or more were collected from 1962 to 2011. From 1972 to 2011; rates included fetuses weighing 500 g or more at birth. Results. When the birth weight was 1 000 g or more the stillbirth rate declined from 70 to 12.6 per 1 000 births; and when the birth weight was 500 g or more it dropped from 34.2 to 24.5. The decline was very much slower towards the end of the study period. Conclusion. To achieve further sustained reductions in stillbirth rates; healthcare workers should continue to emphasise quality of healthcare; but they should also address and prevent specific conditions associated with stillbirth; such as smoking and drinking during pregnancy