Risk factors for placenta praevia in southern Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors for placenta praevia in Ile-Ife, southern Nigeria. DESIGN: A prospective case control study. SETTING: A tertiary center--Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, southern Nigeria. SUBJECTS: One hundred and thirty six patients with confirmed placenta praevia constituted the cases. Controls consisted of one hundred and thirty six patients who delivered at term immediately after each indexed case and did not have placenta praevia. RESULTS: Cases and controls were similar in terms of twin deliveries (P = 0.72) and past history of uterine surgery (P = 0.47). After adjusting for confounders, factors associated with risk of placenta praevia were history of retained placenta [OR = 6.7(95% CI 1.2-36.6)], previous caesarean section [OR = 4.7, (95% CI 1.9-11.4)], previous abortion [OR = 2.9 (95% CI 1.1-5.1)], grand multiparity [OR = 2.1 (95% CI 1.6-7.1)] and age over 35 years [OR = 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-6.6)]. CONCLUSIONS: From our study, the risk factors for placenta praevia are a history of retained placenta, previous caesarean section, previous abortion, grand multiparity and maternal age over 35 years.

Undiagnosed breech in Zaria, Nigeria.

There is no certainty about the best way of dealing with a breech presentation first diagnosed in labour. In our unit, the decision to allow a trial of vaginal delivery rested on the clinical assessment of the size of the baby and the maternal pelvis, and the progress of labour. We compared the outcome of 32 cases where a breech presentation was first diagnosed in labour with 65 women where the malpresentation was diagnosed antenatally where a full assessment including ultrasound and radiological pelvimetry could be made. There was no significant difference in the mode of delivery and fetal outcome. We continue to favour careful case selection for vaginal delivery even where the breech is first diagnosed in labour.

Puerperal sepsis: a preventable post-partum complication.

Patients with puerperal sepsis following delivery at Ife State Hospital (ISH) of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife over a 10-year period spanning January 1986 to December 1995 were reviewed. One hundred and forty-six patients were diagnosed as having puerperal sepsis and there were 8428 deliveries giving an incidence of 1.7%. The incidence was higher among the unbooked patients 71.2%. Predisposing factors were: anaemia in pregnancy, 69.2%; prolonged labour (labour lasting up to 12 h or more), 65.7%; frequent vaginal examinations in labour (more than five), 50.7%; premature rupture of membranes, 31.5%; and non-adherence to asepsis during delivery. The case mortality rate was 4.1%. Antenatal care and supervised hospital delivery should be encouraged in order to prevent or reduce this serious post-partum morbidity.

PIP: This study of 146 consecutive cases of postpartum genital tract sepsis was undertaken to determine the characteristics and outcome of patients with puerperal sepsis. Included in the study were patients with puerperal sepsis admitted into Ife State Hospital of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex in Nigeria during the period of January 1986 to December 1995. Findings revealed that 1.7% out of 8428 deliveries were diagnosed as having puerperal sepsis. The incidence was higher among unbooked patients (71.2%). Predisposing factors of puerperal sepsis include anemia in pregnancy; prolonged labor (labor lasting up to 12 hours or more); frequent vaginal examination during labor (more than 5 times); premature rupture of membranes; and nonadherence to asepsis during delivery. In addition, the mortality rate was 4.1%. Thus, antenatal care and supervised hospital delivery should be encouraged in order to prevent or reduce the seriousness of postpartum morbidity.

Knowledge and use of emergency contraception amongst Nigerian undergraduates.

Randomly selected Nigerian female undergraduates were surveyed to determine their knowledge and use of emergency contraception. The majority of the students were nullipara (96%) and single (92%). Although awareness of the existence of emergency contraception was high (84%), only 31% of the respondents were correctly aware of the time limit for using emergency contraception. There is need to educate all women including the general population about emergency contraception and the correct timing of its use.