Return for postnatal check: current situation in a Nigerian tertiary health institution

Objective: This study aims to determine the current prevalence of postnatal clinic attendance among parturients who delivered in a Nigerian teaching hospital.Methods: A two year review of obstetric record of women who delivered in the hospital from July 2010 to June 2012 and were scheduled to attend Postnatal Clinic was done. The list was cross checked with the postnatal clinic record to know patients who kept their appointment by attending the clinic. A frequency table was generated and data were analyzed.Results: In the first year, out of 1267 women 264 (20.8%) returned for postnatal clinic. During the second year, 1651 women delivered in the hospital while 759 (46.0%) came back for postnatal clinic. Aggregate prevalence of postnatal clinic attendance among the parturients was 35.1%.Conclusion: Most parturients who had hospital delivery do not return for postnatal clinic in our environment.Keywords: delivery, postnatal, clinic, attendanceTrop J Obstet Gynaecol, 30 (1), April 201

Antenatal drug consumption: the burden of self-medication in a developing world setting

This institutional-based cross-sectional study examines the burden of self-medication during pregnancy in a middle-income country setting and the impact on fetal wellbeing. Using a blend of open-ended and indication-oriented questionnaires, 346 pregnant women at term were interviewed about their pregnancy complaints and drug intake. Inferential statistical data analysis was employed with level of significance (?) set at 0.05. Excluding routine supplements and vaccinations, 251 (72.5%) women used medicines, of whom 79 (31.5%) had self-medicated. Consuming drugs without prescription was associated with increased US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) risk category (?(2)?=?8.375; P?=?0.015). There is therefore a need to scale up efforts towards educating women about the dangers of self-medication, while also introducing effective restrictive policies on over-the-counter drug sale

Design and Development of a Wear Testing Machine for Manufacturing Laboratories

Wear of parts during manufacturing processes is inevitable but controllable. Therefore, the critical study of wear in engineering components is vital because failure of components due to wear has resulted in loss of a great deal of fortune. This study was therefore an attempt to design and fabricate a wear testing machine, evaluate the performance of the machine and compare data obtained with existing ones. Materials for the various parts were carefully selected based on desirable properties and availability. Design calculations were made for the main shaft, compression spring, belt, pulley and electric motor. The post fabrication test was carried out on the machine to evaluate the performance of the machine and results gotten reported

RELIABILITY OF DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS IN NIGERIA

The incessant electric power supply problems facing the existence of industries in Nigeria is a pointer to the fact that there is great need for fault evaluation and reliability assessment of electric power system in the country and provide solutions. As it has been earlier said, this problem has grounded many activities and has destroyed many industrial processes. In view of this, a traditional analytical method is developed to access the occurrence of faults and outages along each of the individual consumer point in a feeder, as well as optimizes the reliability of the generation, transmission and distribution system. In view of this, it will be possible to improve on the performance of the system. It will also assist in the generation and transmission of sufficient power, clearing of faults, ensuring adequate protection and reliability of the distribution system that is, bringing a steady uninterrupted power supply to consumers within the distribution area and the entire country.Nigerians are experiencing a lot of difficulties as a result of poor Generation, Transmission and Distribution of electricity. As of 2016, the electricity energy consumption in the world from the world fact book revealed that the average power per capital (watts per person) in the United States is 1,377 Watts. In Canada, it is as high as 1,704 Watts per person and in South Africa; it is 445 Watts per person. The average power per capital in Australia is 1,112 Watts and in New Zealand it is 1,020 W per person. Whereas, the average electricity consumed in watts per person in Nigeria is just 14 Watts. This has put Nigeria in a rank of 189 out of 219 countries estimated. Currently, power generating capacity in Nigeria is estimated to be 6,803 megawatts, with average working capacity between 3,500 MW for over 170 million people (20.59 W/person). The power Companies in Nigeria face a lot of problems. Some of the highest priority issues being low generation of power, inadequate equipment and technical team for the clearance of faults, inadequate protection devices, transmission losses and low reliability of the distribution system. The Nigerian power problem has resulted to incessant planned, forced and unplanned outages. This has grounded many activities and has destroyed many industrial operations and processes. In addition, it has resulted to erratic and unreliable supply of electricity. It has reduced productivity and has increased unemployment and crime rates in the country. Hence, an analytical method is developed to study the dynamic- reliability of the distribution system, as well as optimizes the occurrence of faults and outages along the consumer point in each feeder in order to improve the performance of the system. A great need for fault evaluation and reliability studies of electric power system was observed. This research work analyzed the problems facing the Distribution System. Efforts were made to provide adequate solutions to the problems. The research work evaluated the occurrence and causes of faults and outages in the Distribution Network Area for a period of 8 years. In addition, it analyzed and reduced the effects of power losses along each of the feeders in the Distribution Network Area. This research work revealed the downtime, failure rate and reliability index along each of the eight feeders. It also improved the reliability and performance of the distribution system.Elizade University, Ilara- Mokin, Ondo Stat

Awareness and practice of emergency contraception at a private university in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The pursuit of formal education now causes many people in developing countries to marry later in life, thereby leading to increased premarital sex and unintended pregnancies. Efforts have been made to characterize awareness and use of emergency contraception (EC) among undergraduate students in public universities in Nigeria; however, it is not known if students in private tertiary institutions adopt different practices or if having an affluent family background plays a role. This pilot study therefore aimed to assess the awareness and use of EC among students at a private Nigerian university toward assisting education planners in developing strategies in improving students' reproductive well-being. RESULTS: Out of 94 female students, 42 (44.7%) had sexual experience, but only 32 (34.0%) were currently sexually active. Six students (6.4%) had had unwanted pregnancies, of which all but one were terminated. Fifty-seven respondents (60.6%) were aware of EC, though only 10 (10.6%) ever practiced it. The greatest source of EC information was from health workers and peers; the lowest source was family or relatives. Most respondents desired orientation and availability of EC on campus. EC awareness among the students was predicted by upper social class background (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-7.45) and upbringing in the Federal Capital Territory (adjusted OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 1.56-14.22). CONCLUSIONS: Though awareness of EC was higher among the private university students in this study than at most public universities, there was no difference in EC usage. A high pregnancy termination rate was observed; dilatation and curettage were mainly adopted. In Nigeria, youth-friendly reproductive health information and access should not be limited to government-owned tertiary institutions but also extended to private ones

Reshaping maternal services in Nigeria: any need for spiritual care?

BACKGROUND:High maternal and perinatal mortalities occur from deliveries conducted in prayer houses in Nigeria. Although some regulatory efforts have been deployed to tackle this problem, less attention has been placed on the possible motivation for seeking prayer house intervention which could be hinged on the spiritual belief of patients about pregnancy and childbirth. This study therefore seeks to determine the perception of booked antenatal patients on spiritual care during pregnancy and their desire for such within hospital setting.METHOD:A total of 397 antenatal attendees from two tertiary health institutions in southwest Nigeria were sampled. A pretested questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic features of respondents, perception of spiritual care during pregnancy and childbirth; and how they desire that their spiritual needs are addressed. Responses were subsequently collated and analyzed.RESULTS:Most of the women, 301 (75.8%), believe there is a need for spiritual help during pregnancy and childbirth. About half (48.5%) were currently seeking for help in prayer/mission houses while another 8.6% still intended to. Overwhelmingly, 281 (70.8%) felt it was needful for health professionals to consider their spiritual needs. Most respondents, 257 (64.7%), desired that their clergy is allowed to pray with them while in labour and sees such collaboration as incentive that will improve hospital patronage. There was association between high family income and desire for collaboration of healthcare providers with one's clergy (OR 1.82; CI 1.03-3.21; p?=?0.04).CONCLUSION:Our women desire spiritual care during pregnancy and childbirth. Its incorporation into maternal health services will improve hospital delivery rates

Sociocultural barriers to family planning in the high fertility context of Nigeria

Despite several family planning interventions, there has been little improvement in contraceptive use in Nigeria where fertility rates have remained high for the last few decades. Using a mixed-methods approach, this thesis aims to understand the pertinent factors underlying the resistance to fertility decline in the country, with a focus on social and cultural barriers to family planning. The analyses are based on quantitative data drawn from the 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and qualitative data collected from a semi-urban residential area in Ekiti State. The findings of the thesis are presented in a three paper format. The first analysis applied life tables and proportional hazard regression to NDHS data to examine the association between child mortality and fertility behaviour.The findings show that recurrent experience of child deaths exacerbate the risks to higher parity transition. The second analysis used couple dataset from the NDHS to investigate the influence of men’s contraceptive perceptions on family planning demand and use. The findings highlight that men’s perception of contraception as women’s business did not significantly influence family planning demand, however their concern that wife’s contraceptive use may lead to promiscuity was associated with lower demand for family planning and higher traditional method use. The third analysis used vignette and thematic analysis from qualitative data to examine couples’ contraceptive decision-making processes and wife’s empowerment to adopt family planning in situations where husband opposed family planning. The findings demonstrate imbalance in power relation and decision-making within marital relationships, and that women are poorly empowered to overtly use contraceptives when opposed by their partners.The findings direct the need to adopt targeted approach focusing on couples, and reorient policy and program efforts for FP counselling and behavioural changes in men. Interventions aimed at reducing fertility in Nigeria should aim at promoting child survival and family planning concurrently

海運に於ける競爭と獨占(二)

BackgroundAnaemia in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcome. Unfortunately, in developing countries its prevalence has continued to rise. To improve the situation, iron supplement is routinely prescribed during pregnancy. We therefore examine the impact of the intervention as being currently practised in our clinical setting.MethodsIn total, 255 prenatal clinic attendees who had more than 8 weeks of prescribed iron supplements were sampled. Data was obtained on their socio-demographic features, haemoglobin concentration at booking, compliance with iron supplements and third trimester haemoglobin value.ResultsObserved iron supplementation compliance rate was 184(72.2%). There was a significant drop in mean haemoglobin (Hb) concentration between the two time points (booking Hb: 32.56±2.99; third trimester Hb: 31.67±3.01; mean diff: 0.89±3.04; t = 4.673; 95% CI= 0.52–1.27; p= <0.001). Anaemia increased from 132(51.8%) to 150(58.8%) by the third trimester. Increase in anaemia occurred in both iron-compliant and non-compliant groups. Non-compliance however had higher odds of predicting anaemia by the third trimester (OR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.03–3.26; p: 0.04).ConclusionAlthough iron supplementation is still a good intervention in developing countries, it is not sufficient to reduce overall prevalence of anaemia by the third trimester. There is a need to look beyond the approach and reinforce the importance of better feeding practices, food fortification and reduced frequency of pregnancies

Adaptation to menopause in Southwest Nigeria

Little attention has been given to the treatment of menopausal symptoms in Africa. Reasons for this include the hot tropical climate and febrile illnesses that mask hot flushes, large bone mass of black women offering inherent protection against osteoporosis-induced fractures, and an extended family system contributing to women’s psychological adjustment to menopause [1]. However, there is growing concern that these assumptions may not be true and that a significant proportion of menopausal women may be tolerating reproductive health burden in silence [2]