Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy amongst Antenatal Clinic Attendees at Booking at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital

Background:The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) havetripled from 1980 till date as a result of many factors of which obesity/excessive weight gain is a closely related factor of DM. There are many adverse challenges of DM in pregnancy with its associated fetal and maternal consequences.Aim:To determine the prevalence of DM in pregnancy amongst antenatal clinic (ANC) at booking at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).Methods: It was a cross sectional study of ANC attendees at booking at the RSUTH. Simple random sampling method was used. The Information was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25.Results: A total of 99 pregnant women were recruited at booking in the ANC of the RSUTH. The mean age was 32.2 years and the modal parity was 1.0.The number of ANC attendees with weight equal to or greater than 90 Kg were 21 (21.2%), number with weight greater than equal to 90 Kg with glucose in urine were 10 (10.1%) Three (3.0%) of the subjects were known diabetic whereas 12 (12.1%) had family history of DM.Conclusion: The study revealed the prevalence of DM amongst ANC attendees at the RSUTH as 3.0%. There was corresponding glycosuria in 10.1% of the ANC attendees. ANC attendees had family history of DM were 12.1%. Advocacy is needed to educate the populace on the predisposing factors of DM and its adverse effect on maternal and child health.

A Study of the Awareness and Acceptabilty of Labour Epidural Analgesia amongst Antenatal Clinic Attendees in One Tertiary Hospital

Background: The benefits of Pain relief to parturientsin labour cannot be over-emphasized. However, in low middle income countries accessibility, availability and affordability these services are not optimum. This has made it near impossible for women in labour to benefit from epidural analgesia.Aim: This study was aimed to assess the knowledge of availability and level of acceptance of labour analgesia amongst antenatal clinic attendees at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).Methods: The present observational study was conducted after informed consent was given by antenatal clinic attendees. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version 25.Results: Response from 200 women with mean ± SD age and gestational age of 31.49 ± 4.89 years and 34.25 ± 4.75 weeks respectively. The modal Parity was 1. 56; while 106/200 (53%) were aware of pain relief in labour, 94/200 (47%) had no knowledge of pain relief in labour. Twenty eight (28/106) constituting 26.42% had knowledge of the pharmacological methods while 78 (73.59%) had non-specific ideas about pain relief in labour. Twenty six (26/28) (92.86%) of the respondents will accept epidural analgesia in labour.Conclusion: Knowledge of availability and acceptance of labour analgesia was poor. Lack of information is a major contributor for non-acceptance of labour analgesia. The inclusion and dissemination of information about labour analgesia by anaesthetists and obstetricians during antenatal classes would increase the knowledge about its availability and wide acceptance to these parturients

Thriving Traditional Birth Attendants in the Nigerian Church: Gate-way to Maternal and Perinatal Mortality - A Typical Example of Conflict in the Church. Review of Practices of Traditional Birth Attendants across the 23 Local Government Areas in Rivers State – South South Nigeria

Background: There is need to educate the pastors and the church congregation for the need for skilled birth attendants to handle pregnancy and labour related challenges in other to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality. This is because, in some “maternities” in Nigeria traditional birth attendants (TBAs) attend to pregnancy related cases and in some instances these unconventional practices are extended to the local churches.Aim: To determine cases of TBAs practicing in churches and help prevent these unconventional obstetrics practices thus preventing maternal and perinatal motality.Methods: It was a cross-sectional study of TBAs across all 23 local government areas of Rivers State in a lecture to prevent maternal death in the month of June 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Information was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25.Results: Forty questionnaires were distributed and 37 retrieved. The mean age was 44 years. They were all females. All ofthem were Christians. Their modal age of practice was 1 –5 years. As regards TBAs educational status, those with no formal education were 4 (10.8%), primary 6(16.2%), secondary 20 (54.1%) and tertiary 7 (18.9%). Eleven (29.7%) of the TBAs have ante natal care in the church out of which 6 (16.2%) conducts delivery in the church. Perinatal and maternal deaths recorded by the TBAs in the past 1 year were 7 (18.9%) and 1 (2.7%) respectively.Conclusion: There is need for our Pastors and churches in Nigeria to recognize the place of skilled birth attendants in attending to pregnancy and labour in other to reduce maternal /perinatal mortality and discourage TBAs from practicing in the church. n addition, the study revealed that majority of the TBAs had secondary level of education (54.1%). There is need for churches to encourage their members to seek the pre-requisite training by emphasizing acquiring the necessary education to improve their vocation as birth attendants.