Prevalence and Correlates of Maternal Morbidity in Enugu, South-East Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of maternal morbidity following childbirth in Enugu, South East Nigeria. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of women with recent deliveries in Enugu was done. Respondent were 8 times more likely to report a symptom than not (OR 8.14 95% C.I. 5.48, 12.68). Puerperal sepsis, perineal pain, dyspareunia, postpartum haemorrhage, gestational (postpartum) hypertension and utero-vaginal prolapse were the commonest obstetric/gynaecological morbidities. Multivariate analysis showed that the main predictors of specific morbidities were high parity category, abdominal delivery and delivery by unskilled birth attendant. It is concluded that the prevalence of morbidity following childbirth in the population sampled was high due mainly to obstetric factors and that reportage of morbidity had little to do with the demographic characteristics of respondents. A population based study is recommended to determine the actual prevalence and predictors of morbidity following childbirth in the population (Afr. J. Reprod. Health 2010; 14[3]: 121-129).

Key words: Prevalence, correlates, maternal morbidity, childbirth, Nigeria.