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Background: Antenatal care is a core component of safe motherhood initiative and it helps indirectly in reducing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Despite the obvious benefits of antenatal care, utilization of this service is very poor in our environment. Therefore, this study sought to assess the gestational age at booking, the reason for booking and determine the factors responsible for late booking among antenatal attendees at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted 5th May 2016 and 10th June 2016 among 258 consecutive pregnant women who presented for booking at the antenatal clinic of the hospital, using self-administered, pre-tested questionnaires. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 7.2.1.Results: The mean gestational age at booking was 21.5±4.8 weeks. The mean age of the respondents was 28.2±3.8 years while the mean parity was 1.5±1.6 years. Most of the women booked after the first trimester of pregnancy, only 61(24.8%) of the respondents booked in the first trimester of pregnancy. Majority of the women had no problem at booking 36.7%. Women aged 20-34 years booked late compared to women aged less than 20 years and those above 34 years and the difference was statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in maternal parity, education, marital status and religion with regards timing of booking. However, women who were sick during the first trimester were more likely to book early as well as women who booked early in their previous pregnancy.Conclusions: Late booking was common in our environment. There is an urgent need for increase awareness of the benefits of early booking to pregnancy outcome.
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Background:Though pleasurable, coitus may result in morbidity and even mortality. One of such morbidities is coital trauma, a global occurrence that is grossly under reported. This study aimed to determine the causes and risk factorsfor coital trauma as well as its clinical presentation. Methods:This was a 4year retrospective study of patients that presented with coital injuries at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Data were obtained from patients’ clinical notes using a specially designed proforma. Statistical analysis was performed using Epi InfoTM 7.2.1.Results:The majority of women that presented with coital trauma were adolescents (67.9%). Most of them were single (92.9%), nulliparous (89.3%) and had only primary education (57.1%). The commonest cause of coital trauma was rape (75%). The commonest risk factors were inadequate foreplay (57.1%) and coitarche (42.9%). Other risk factors were genital disproportion, pregnancy, puerperium and influence of drugs. The common clinical presentations were vaginal bruises (75%) and vaginal lacerations (64.3%) while the commonest site of injury was the hymen (42.9%) followed by the vulva (35.7%). Other less common sites of injury were the lower vagina and posterior fornix.Conclusions:Coital trauma is relatively common and young girls are mainly affected. Rape is the major cause while inadequate foreplay and coitarche are the major predisposing factors.
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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.
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Background: The sexual behaviour and practice increases the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. Knowledge and perception of HIV/AIDS may be a determinant to sexual behaviour of the young adults. There this study aims to evaluate the sexual behaviour and perception of HIV/AIDS among university undergraduates of the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between 5th March 2016 and 30th March 2016 among 406 undergraduates. An anonymous, self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the data from the participants. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 7.2.1.Results: The modal age group for sex debut was 20-24 years while the mean age at coitache among the study group was 20.2±4.6 years. More than a half of the respondents 173 (56.7%) had only one sex partner while the remaining had two or more sexual partners. Condom use in the last sexual intercourse was low as just more than a third of the respondents used condoms in their last sexual intercourse. Almost all the student had heard of HIV/AIDS 403 (99.3%). The mass media was the commonest source of obtaining information with regards HIV/AIDS among the study population. Males are more likely to have had sex compared to the female sex. Student who take alcohol regularly and those that take tobacco in any form were also more likely to have had sex compared to those who do not take alcohol or tobacco, (p value <0.0001).Conclusions: Sex is a common practice among the study population. Majority engage in risky sexual practices. There is an urgent need to improve the campaign on safer sex using the mass media as a veritable medium
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Background:Threatened miscarriage is the commonest complication of pregnancy and has been aBackground: Threatened miscarriage is the commonest complication of pregnancy and has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the association between threatened miscarriage and adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study undertaken at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. The study involved 228 women presenting with threatened miscarriage in the first trimester and 228 asymptomatic matched controls. The statistical analysis was done using Epi info version 7.1.5, March 2015 (CDC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA).Results: Women with threatened miscarriage were more likely to have preterm delivery (OR = 7.1, 95% CI = 3.51-14.32, P <0.0001), placenta praevia (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.13 - 5.26, P = 0.03), placental abruption (OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.40 - 9.03, P = 0.01) and retained placenta (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.18 - 6.97, P = 0.02). Similarly, women with first trimester threatened miscarriage were more likely to develop postpartum haemorrhage (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.17 - 5.06, P = 0.02). There was no significant differences in the stillbirth rate, Apgar scores at 5 minutes less than 7, admission into neonatal intensive care unit and early neonatal death. Threatened miscarriage was associated with intrauterine growth restriction (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.77 - 6.88, P <0.0001) and low birth weight <2.kg (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.33 - 7.69, P = 0.01).Conclusions: Women with threatened miscarriage in the first trimester are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the risk factors should be taken into consideration when deciding upon antenatal surveillance and management of their pregnancies.
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Aim: To determine the prevalence of gestational diabetes and its risk factors among pregnant women in Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State Nigeria. Method: A total of 250 pregnant women aged 15-44 yrs in their first and second trimester attending antenatal clinics in Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Mile Four Maternity Hospital and Federal Medical Center Abakaliki were seen within the period of June 2010 to December 2011. Their age, parity, body mass index, gestational age and family history of diabetes were taken, while their gestational diabetes mellitus was assessed using 100g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The plasma glucose response (PGR) was assessed and glucose tolerance status of each patient was interpreted using National Diabetes Data Group criteria. The prevalence of gestational diabetes was determined and its relationship with risk factors compared. Result: The study subjects had a mean gestational age of 26 ±6.4 weeks, mean parity of 1.5 and BMI of 26.5(+/-3.8) kg/m2. The prevalence rate of GDM diagnosed by 100g OGTT was 4.8%. This value increased significantly with increase in the age of the women. Inter-relationship between GDM and maternal age, gestational age, parity and family history was assessed using Chi-Square. The prevalence of GDM in pregnant women within the age of 15-24years was 3.3%, 25-34years had 4.2% and 34-44years had 17.6%. The prevalence of GDM increased significantly with increase in age of the subjects (P = 0.035). Prevalence of GDM according to the gestational age of 1st trimester, 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester were 7.7%, 5.6% and 3.9% respectively. The relationship however was not statistically significant (P = 0.736. The prevalence of GDM according to the parity of the women at 0, 1-4 and ≥5 were 5.1%, 4.1% and 8.0% respectively. The relationship also showed no significant difference (P = 0.689). The women with family history of diabetes had GDM prevalence of 4.5% while those without family history of diabetes had 4.8%. No significant difference was observed (P-value = 0.953) Conclusion: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in this region of the country was found to be 4.8%. The high value could be linked to malnutrition. This value was found to increase significantly with increase in the age of the women. No significant difference was observed when GDM was related to parity, family history of diabetes and gestational age. Since most women with GDM have no demonstrable risk factor, for this reason we advocate to screen all pregnant women.
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AIM: To ascertain the types and frequencies of congenital eye and adnexial disorders seen at two tertiary health facilities in Abakaliki,Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective review of the case records of new patients with congenital eye disorders who were a year old or less and presented to the eye clinics of both tertiary institutions between May 2001 and April 2008 was done. Collected data were analysed for age and sex of the patients,types,frequencies,ocular and systemic associations of the disorders using simple statistical METHODS: .RESULTS: There were a total of 199 children with ocular pathologies recorded within the study period. Of these,50 (25.1%) children had congenital disorders. There were 27 (54%) males and 23 (46%) females. Thirty two (64%) children were less than 6 months of age. The commonest disorders were nasolacrimal duct obstruction 10(20%),congenital ptosis 7(14%),dermoid cyst 5(10%),buphthalmos 4(8%) and congenital cataract 3(6%). All these may cause avoidable childhood blindness. The least common pathologies included albinism 1(2%),anophthalmos 1(2%),retinoblastoma 2(4%) and optic atrophy 2(4%). These may cause irreversible blindness and poor vision.CONCLUSION: Although congenital eye disorders are not common,they are potential causes of childhood blindness and low vision. Early childhood screening is advocated to enable early detection and prompt intervention.