Obstructed Labour, Barriers and Bridges in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

An eleven-year retrospective analysis of all cases of obstructed labour at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital was carried out between 1989 and 1999. During this period, a total of 19,246 deliveries were conducted while 684 cases of obstructed labour were recorded, giving an incidence of 3.5%. Unbooked patients constituted 69.2% of cases and 62% of the patients were primigravida.
Cephalo pelvic disproportion was the commonest cause of obstructed labour [45%]. Of this number 7.7% had Caesarean section previously.
The main mode of relieving the obstruction was Caesarean delivery [81%], laparotomy for ruptured uterus was performed in 13% of patients and destructive operation was done in about 6% of cases.
The commonest complication found in this study was sepsis affecting about 91% of cases. The maternal mortality ration was 81.8 per 1000 while perinatal mortality was 250 per 1000.


NQJHM Vol. 14 (1) 2004: pp. 21-25