Determinants of maternal healthcare services utilization in selected communities in Edo Central Senatorial District Nigeria

Background: Throughout history, society has always employed several means to promote maternal healthcare services to save pregnant women and their unborn babies from expected or unexpected dangers during pregnancy, birth and after birth. This study investigated the determinants of maternal health care services utilization in selected communities. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for this study using a questionnaire as a quantitative tool. The population of the study comprised women of reproductive age group (15-49) Edo Central Senatorial District, Edo State Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 561 study participants from the target population. A total of 561 copies of the questionnaire were administered but 490 of them were retrieved and found to meet criteria for analysis. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 and computed for descriptive statistics- frequency with percentage counts, mean and standard deviations. Additionally, inferential statistics chi-square used to test the stated hypotheses. Results: The finding showed that the women’s mean age of 28±5.37. Residential location of the participants did not significantly influence their utilization of maternal healthcare services. Educational qualifications, were found to influence the utilization of maternal healthcare services than those of lower educational levels (p<0.05). In addition, 364 (74.2%) respondents agree that free or low cost of maternal health services would prompt and promote regular visits to clinic. Conclusions: It is recommended that the government should provide freer or low-cost

Haemorheological Changes in African Breast Cancer Patients

Several Studies have indicated the existence of thrombo-embolic complications in cancer patients and that this could be associated with changes in heamorheological parameters. Packed cell volume (PCV), heamoglobin (Hb), relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and plasma Fibrinogen concentration (PFC) were measured in 50 healthy control women, 50 age-matched women with breast cancer, and 10 women with histophathologically proven benign breast tumour. There were significant differences between the controls and breast cancer patients in all the parameters measured (

Modifications hémorheologiques chez les cancéreuses

Several Studies have indicated the existence of thrombo-embolic complications in cancer patients and that this could be associated with changes in heamorheological parameters. Packed cell volume (PCV), heamoglobin (Hb), relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and plasma Fibrinogen concentration (PFC) were measured in 50 healthy control women, 50 age-matched women with breast cancer, and 10 women with histophathologically proven benign breast tumour. There were significant differences between the controls and breast cancer patients in all the parameters measured (p<0.05). However, patients with cancer have significantly higher RPV and PFC (p<0.001) respectively than controls. There was significant mean difference between pre and post mastectomy in fibrinogen concentration (p<0.05) and this was observed over the 5-week study period. Since increased fibrinogen may give rise to increase fibrin formation which has been asserted as an independent cardiovascular risk factor for thromb-oembolic complications, African patients with breast cancer may well be predisposed to thrombotic complications during illness. The rheological assessment may offer valuable benefit for the management and early diagnosis of breast cancer in African women.Beaucoup d&apos;études ont montré l&apos;existence des complications thrombe-embolique chez les cancéreuses et qu&apos;on peut lier ceci aux modifications dans les paramètres hémorheologiques. Le volume globulaire concentré (VGC), l&apos;hémoglobine (Hb), la viscosité du plasma relatif (VPR) et la concentration du fribinogène du plasma (CFP) ont été mesurés chez 50 femmes en bonne santé comme femmes témoin, 50 femmes cancéreuses qui ont été appariées selon l&apos;âge et 10 femmes qui souffraient de la tumeur du sein bénigne qui a été prouvée histopathologiquement. Il y avait des différences importantes entre les témoins et les patientes cancéreuses dans tous les paramètres mesurés (p < 0,05). Toutefois, les patientes cancéreuses ont une VPR considérablement plus élevé et la CFP (p < 0,001) respectivement que les témoins. Il y a une différence moyenne importante entre la pré et la post mastéctomie dans la concentration du fribinogène (p < 0,05) et ceci a été observé au cours des cinq semaines que l&apos;étude a duré. Puisque l&apos;augmentation du fibrinogène peut aboutir a l&apos;augmentation de la formation de la fibrine qui a été acceptée comme un facteur indépendant de risque cardiovasculaire pour des complications thrombe-emboliques. Les patientes cancéreuses africaines pourraient bien être prédisposées à des complications thrombotiques pendant la maladie. L&apos;évaluation rhéologique peut donner des avantages valables pour le traitement et le diagnostique anticipé du cancer du sein chez les femmes africaines

Femoral herniorrhaphy and its affect on fibrinogen levels

The study consists of 10 patients with features suggestive of femoral hernia who had herniorrhaphy in our Hospital. The information collected include the age, sex, and occupation. Many years ago, femoralhernia was not common in Nigerian. This must have been due to the fact that the cases were under reported and most patients, who had femoral hernia, took native drugs and hoped for the best until it becomes complicated. The fibrinogen concentration of the control was 2.21 (0.12) g/l. The fibrinogen concentration before operation was 2.12 (0.9) g/l compare with the control level of 2.21 (0.12) g/l. Fibrinogen increased significantly during operation (p < 0.001) and decreased (p < 0.001) after operation. Therefore the increase in fibrinogen level after femoral herniorrhaphy may predispose to the development of post-operative thrombo embolic complications. The measures for the prevention of thrombo embolic complications such as early mobilization should therefore be encouraged in such patients

Effects of Breast Cancer and Mastectomy on Fibrinolytic Activity in African Women

Reduced blood fibrinolytic activity (FA) has been postulated in cancer. It is good to know if this is also the case in Africans with breast cancer. Africans are known to possess enhanced fibrinolysis. This study was designed to assess the effect of breast cancer on fibrinolytic activity and the effect of mastectomy on fibrinolysis in African women. Sixty histo-patholically proven breast cancer patients aged 25 - 45 years were compared with 50 healthy age-matched controls. Plasma fibrinogen levels and euglobulin lysis time (ELT) were estimated in breast cancer patients and the controls. Patients with breast cancer had significantly increased fibrinogen levels euglobulin lysis time (P<0.001) compared with controls. There was significant mean difference between pre and post-mastectomy fibrinogen and euglobulin lysis time values (p<0.05). Progressive significant decrease in fibrinogen levels and euglobulin lysis time values (P<0.05) were observed over the weeks studied respectively. African women with breast cancer have defective fibrin clearing which could predispose them to thrombotic diathesis and early mastectomy may be beneficial. We suggest that fibrinolytic components may be a prognostic marker for breast cancer.Effets du cancer du sein et de la mammectomie sur l&apos;activité fibrinolytique chez les femmes africaines. L&apos;activité fibrinolytique du sang réduite (AF) a été postulée dans le cancer. Il faut bien savoir si c&apos;est le cas chez les Africains atteints du cancer du sein. On reconnaît chez les Africains une fibrinolyse exaltée. Cette étude a été menée pour évaluer l&apos;effet du cancer du sein sur l&apos;activité fibrinolytique et l&apos;effet de la mammectomie sur la fibrinolyse chez les femmes africaines. Soixante femmes atteintes du cancer du sein et qui sont âgées de 25 - 45 ans dont les cas ont été confirmés histo-pathologiquement ont été comparées à cinquante femmes de mêmes âges qui n&apos;étaient pas atteintes, servant des cas témoin. Le niveau du fibrinogène du plasma et le temps de lyse engloblines (TLE) ont été calculés chez les patientes atteintes du cancer du sein et chez les femmes témoin. Les femmes atteinte du cancer du sein ont eu des niveaux élevés du fibrinogène et du temps de lyse eugloblines (P<0,001) par rapport au groupe témoin. Il y a eu une différence moyenne importante entre la pre et la post mammectomie du fibrinogène et des valeurs du temps de lyse (p < 0,05). Au cours des semaines étudiées respectivement, nous avons remarqué une baisse significative progressive dans les niveaux du fibrinogène et dans les valeurs du temps de lyse (p < 0,05). Les femmes africaines qui sont atteintes du cancer du sein ont une dépuration de la fibrine qui les dispose à la diathèse thrombotique et une mammectomie précoce peut être salutaire. Nous suggérons que les étéments fibrinolytiques peuvent être un indice pronostique pour le cancer du sein