Determinants of Postpartum Hemorrhage and its Clinical Outcome at Turai Yaradua Maternity and Children Hospital Katsina, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage is a common life-threatening emergency in the developing world and its frequency and magnitude are at obstetric peril. Postpartum haemorrhage is the commonest cause of maternal morbidity and mortality after vaginal delivery and constitutes a significant morbidity rate and potential for maternal death.

Aim: The study explored the determinants of Postpartum haemorrhage and document its associated clinical morbidity in the study settings. Patients were recruited from the record department of Turai Yaradua Maternity and Children Hospital Katsina and an adapted World Health Organization instrument was employed for the study.

Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively from 2012 to 2016 from the records department of Turai Yaradua Maternity and Children Hospital Katsina and the obtained data were coded and analyzed using SPSS Version 20.

Results: The results showed that most of the patients were above 25years with mean age of 19years and significant number of the patients 41.8% were from low socio-economic background and largely multiparous. Uterine atony and pelvic trauma were significantly found to be the independent determinants of Postpartum hemorrhage r=0.712,P< 0.001 and r=0.621,P<0.001 respectively. In addition, maternal mortality rate of 10.9% and 9.0% were significantly found to be the most common clinical outcome of Postpartum hemorrhage among the studied group.

Conclusion: The study concluded that uterine atony and pelvic trauma are the major determinants of Postpartum hemorrhage and coagulopathy been the least commonly associated predictor of Postpartum hemorrhage ,and therefore recommends the need for improved obstetric services and inter-professional collaboration with adequate health educational strategy at the study settings to check-out the burden of the problem.

Keywords: Postpartum haemorrhage, Mortality, Determinants, Health