Parturients’ Awareness and Perception of Benefits of Breast Feeding in the Prevention of Infant and Childhood Oral and Dental Diseases

Background: Breastfed babies have a better chance of improved oral and dental health than their counterparts that were artificially-fed. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude of postnatal mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding in prevention of oral and dental diseases. Materials and Methods: A cross – sectional descriptive survey of 206 mothers attending the postnatal clinic of theUniversity of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar on the knowledge and attitude of breastfeeding in prevention of oral diseases in infants.Results: Initiation of breastfeeding was early within 3 days of childbirth in 90.3% of mothers. The lack of awareness or knowledge of specific childhood dental/ oral disorders prevented by breastfeeding by majority (89.3%) of the respondents was statistically significant. Actual willingness to breastfeed baby for longer periods after instruction on specific oral health benefits of breastfeeding was elicited in 180 (87.4%) mothers.Conclusion: There is a need to improve the knowledge of specific benefits of breastfeeding in prevention of dental diseases. This calls for education of the health professionals beside the dental practitioners who handle the mothers for themselves to be aware.Funding: The study was funded by the authors.Keywords: Breastfeeding, prevention, oral, dental, disease

Awareness of Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness in Southeastern Nigeria

The aims of this study are to assess the awareness and intention to use maternity services. This was a multicentric study involving 800 women. Educational status was the best predictor of awareness of birth preparedness (P = 0.0029), but not a good predictor of intention to attend four antenatal clinic sessions (P = 0.449). Parity was a better predictor of knowledge of severe vaginal bleeding as a key danger sign during pregnancy than educational level (P = 0.0009 and P = 0.3849, resp.). Plan to identify a means of transport to the place of childbirth was related to greater awareness of birth preparedness (χ2 = 0.3255; P = 0.5683). Parity was a highly significant predictor (P = 0.0089) of planning to save money. Planning to save money for childbirth was associated with greater awareness of community financial support system (χ2 = 0.8602; P = 0.3536). Access to skilled birth attendance should be promoted

Perinatal Outcome in Unbooked Teenage Pregnancies in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria

Background. Teenage pregnancy being a high risk condition requires skilled attention for good outcome. Objectives. To determine the influence of antenatal care on perinatal outcome in teenage pregnancies in Calabar. Materials and Methods. A review of patient records in Calabar was conducted between 1st January, 2006 and 31st December, 2010, to determine perinatal outcome in teenage pregnancy. Results. Teenage pregnancy accounted for 644 (6.5%) of the total deliveries with 245 (38.0%) booked while 399 (62.0%) were unbooked. Teenage mothers contributed significantly to the proportion of women who were delivered without prior antenatal care (χ2 = 6.360; P < 0.05). The mean duration of labour in booked teenagers was 10.85 ± 4.2 hours, while unbooked teenagers was 23.31 ± 3.6 hours (t-value = 77.1039; P < 0.05). There was statistically more caesarean sections among unbooked teenage pregnancies than booked (χ2 = 36.75; P < 0.05). Stillbirth was statistically significant (χ2 = 27.096; P < 0.05) among unbooked teenagers than booked. However, early neonatal death was not significantly different between booked and unbooked teenage pregnancies(χ2 = 0.512; P < 0.05). Conclusion. Unbooked teenage pregnancies were significantly associated with increased operative intervention and poor perinatal outcome

Institutional barriers to malaria prevention in Calabar, Cross-River

No Abstract. Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 16 (1) 2007: pp. 79-8

Factors associated with contraceptive use and initiation of coital activity after childbirth

John E Ekabua1, Kufre J Ekabua2, Patience Odusolu1, Chritopher U Iklaki1, Thomas U Agan1, Aniekan J Etokidem21Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria; 2Department of Community Medicine, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, NigeriaAbstract: The aim of the study is to identify the factors influencing contraceptive use and initiation of sexual intercourse after childbirth. This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey involving 256 consecutive women, who delivered between April and October, 2007, presenting at the Immunization Clinic, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria in April, 2008. Data was obtained using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Women who had antenatal and postnatal counseling were significantly more likely to use contraceptives than those who did not have counseling (odds ratio (OR) 0.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14&amp;ndash;0.59; P = 0.0002 and OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.08&amp;ndash;0.38; P = 0.0000002 respectively). Other variables significantly associated with contraceptive use included education (P = 0.0470) and reproductive goal (P = 0.0303). Linear regression analysis showed direct relationship between caesarean section and episiotomy as modes of delivery, and initiation of coitus (r2 = 0.439 and 0.45 respectively). Concerning residence after childbirth, staying at home and with in-laws showed direct relationship with initiation of coitus (r2 = 0.208 and 10.750 respectively). The number of women abstaining from intercourse showed a decreasing trend with increasing months after childbirth. Initiation of coitus was significantly associated with resumption of menstruation (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) and non-contraceptive use (P = 0.0089). In conclusion, this study shows the need for use of postpartum contraception before fecund women become susceptible to pregnancy.Keywords: postpartum contraception, factors affecting us

Obstetric outcomes of booked teenage pregnancies at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Boniface Uji Ago, Sylvester Abeshi, Charles Njoku, Thomas Udagbor Agan, John EkabuaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, NigeriaBackground: Teenage pregnancy is high-risk and associated with complications due to adverse physiological, anatomical, and socioeconomic factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the patterns and obstetric outcomes of booked teenage pregnancies at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) in Nigeria.Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis of teenage pregnancies and mature mothers at UCTH was carried out from January 2011 to December 2011. A total of 82 teenage pregnancies and 72 mature pregnancies were compared.Results: There were 145 teenage deliveries from a total of 2313 deliveries, ie, 6.3% of total deliveries. There was no statistically significant difference in the mode of delivery (cesarean section, spontaneous vaginal delivery, instrumental delivery) between the groups of mothers. There was also no difference in risk of complications, including obstructed labor, retained placenta, uterine atony, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and antepartum hemorrhage. However, teenage mothers had more perineal lacerations (P = 0.02) and more preterm labor (P = 0.05), and delivered more low-birth-weight babies (P = 0.02).Conclusion: Supervised teenage pregnancy may not be as hazardous as previously thought.Keywords: teenage pregnancy, booked pregnancy, obstetric outcom

The impact of motorcycle accidents on the obstetric population in Calabar, Nigeria

Contexts: Motorcycle accidents are very common in most cities in Nigeria since the introduction of motorcycle for public commercial transportation in the early 1980s and because most pregnant women use this popular means of transport it may contribute to non-obstetric causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The impact of this on our obstetric population is yet to be studied in Calabar. Objectives: is to assess the influence of motorcycle accidents on maternal and perinatal performance in patients manage in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar. Study Design, Setting and Subjects: This was a retrospective descriptive study carried out in the maternity Annex of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar. One hundred and four patients managed as a result of motorcycle accidents in the index pregnancy over two years were studied. Results: Motorcycle accounted for 7.1% of all obstetric emergencies during the period. The victims were mostly married (43.3%); multiparous (23.1%) and 34.6% were civil servants. Twenty (19.2%)of patients were ridding the motorcycles themselves. Of the 64 victims who were passengers, 68.8% sat sideways. Most of the victims (40.4%) were in the third trimester of gestation while 23.0% were actually in labor. The maternal complications included premature labour and deliveries (7.6%), abruptio placentae (3.8%) and ruptured uterus (1.9%). Complications occurred in 33.0% of the babies, which included birth asphyxia and prematurity with perinatal death of 5.5%. Conclusion: Motorcycle accidents are common among the Obstetric population in Calabar. There is high rate of life threatening maternal complications and perinatal morbidity. Relevant authority should ensure that only those duly licensed are allowed to ride the motorcycle when carrying pregnant women who should be the only passenger and sit astride.Keywords: motorcycles accidents, obstetric populationTropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol. 22(2) 2005: 164-16

Socio demographic profile and presentations of patients with ruptured gravid uterus in Calabar Nigeria

Background: To study the Socio-demographic profiles and mode of clinical presentations of with uterine rupture in pregnancy in Calabar, Nigeria. Method: Medical records of 67 patients managed for ruptured gravid uterus over 10 years in Maternity section of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Calabar, Nigeria were reviewed. Results: An incidence of 1 in 213 of all deliveries during the period was established. Majority (49.2%) were aged between 31 to 40 years and 43.3% had no formal education. Unemployed patients were 29.9%, 42.3% did not book for antenatal care while 32.8% were attended to by traditional birth attendants (TBA) and in the churches. The Commonest clinical presentations were fetal heart rate abnormalities (52.2%) and maternal collapse (46.3%). Majority (50.7%) resulted from neglected obstructed labour. Conclusion: Ruptured uterus is a problem of ignorance among women of low socioeconomic group with most of them having unskilled and substandard care during pregnancy and delivery. Improvement in Socio-economic conditions and modification of some harmful cultural practices against women generally will reduce the problem of rupture uterus in our society Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 17 (1) 2008 pp. 78-8

Awareness and acceptability of strategies for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV among antenatal clients in Calabar, Nigeria

Background: Mother to child transmission is the major route through which children below the age of 15 years acquire HIV infection. The most effective way to reduce childhood HIV infection is to prevent the infection in mothers and for already infected mothers use appropriate strategies to prevent transmission to their children. This study was conducted to determine the level of awareness and acceptability of strategies for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. Method: Exploratory multi-centric descriptive study involving 400 antenatal attendees in Federal, State and a Private health facility was used. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was the tool for data collection. Result: Majority of the respondents (94.7%) were aware of transmission of HIV from an infected mother to her child. Respondents were more aware of the use of antiretroviral drugs in pregnancy (63.2%) than they were of avoiding breastfeeding (58.5%) and Cesarean delivery (22.8%) as strategies for preventing mother to child transmission. They were also more likely to accept the use of antiretroviral drugs (78.2%) than they would avoid breastfeeding (69.0%) and accept Cesarean delivery (38.0%) for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV. High educational status was significantly associated with a positive attitude to these strategies. Conclusion: There is need for more educational programs and social support to bridge the gap between the levels of awareness and acceptability of strategies for preventing mother to child transmission of HIV among the populace. Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 17 (1) 2008 pp. 29-3