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Background: Gynaecological emergencies are common causes of emergency hospital presentation/admission. Majority of the emergencies are mostly pregnancy related and pose threat to two lives as well as the women’s future reproductive careers. There is therefore need to evaluate them to make better preparations in managing them.Methods: This was a 10 year (from 01 January 2012 to 31 December 2021) retrospective study of gynaecological emergencies managed at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AEFUTHA), evaluating their management and outcomes.Results: The commonest cause of gynaecological emergency at AEFUTHA was miscarriage accounting for up to 69.1% out of which incomplete miscarriage contributed 70.8% and majority had manual vacuum aspiration with good outcome. Ruptured ectopic pregnancies were the commonest surgical emergencies with the incidence of 7.1% and all had laparotomy and partial salpingectomy. Gestational trophoblastic diseases accounted for 2.0% of gynaecological emergencies. The commonest non-pregnancy related gynaecological emergency was acute pelvic inflammatory diseases which accounted for 9.3% of cases. Other gynaecological emergencies reviewed were ovarian accidents (2.9%), abnormal uterine bleeding (3.9%), gynaecological malignancies (2.3%), coital laceration (1.5%), sexual assault (2.4%) and Bartholin’s abscess (0.2%). Factors that affected the outcome were the age of the patients, marital status and disease type and were statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusions: Management outcomes of gynaecological emergencies were optimum. Mortality occurred in 1.3% of cases, with gynaecological malignancies accounting for 81.4%. There is usually a good prognosis when prompt, accurate diagnosis and treatment are administered.
RESUMEN
Background: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific multisystem disease and it is associated with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Any factor(s) which could reliably predict the likelihood of serious complications would be very valuable in predicting the associated adverse outcome. Objective of this study compare maternal and fetal outcomes of preeclamptic patients with normotensive control in Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.Method: This was a 4-year retrospective case-control study of the pregnancy outcomes among preeclamptic and normotensive women managed in our facility between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2015. Data analysis was done using Epi Info software 7.2.1.Results: During the study period there were 6,585 deliveries among which 92 of the patients were managed for preeclampsia. This gives a prevalence of 1.4% or 14 per 1000 deliveries. There was no difference in the age and parity of the control. Most of the preeclamptic patients managed over the study period were unbooked for antenatal care in the facility (p value <0.0001). Preeclamptic patients were more likely to be delivered preterm (p value was <0.0001), and by caesarean section compared to the control. They were also more likely to have babies with low birth weights and poorer fetal outcomes. There was no difference in maternal mortality between both groups.Conclusion: Preeclampsia is associated with the unbooked status and poorer perinatal outcome compared with normotensive women. There is need to encourage women to book for antenatal care for prompt identification and management of these women.