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Elective caesarean sections at the Jos University Teaching Hospital


Josiah T Mutihir
Patrick H Daru
Innocent AO Ujah

Abstract

Context: Elective caesarean sections have been pronounced safer for both mother and fetus compared with emergency caesarean sections. Emergency caesarean sections however have continued to constitute the lion share of caesarean sections in our facility.

Objective: To determine the caesarean section rate, examine the trend of elective caesarean sections and the indications for elective caesarean sections amongst our patients.

Methodology: This was a retrospective study of the clinical records of all patients that had caesarean section in Jos Nigeria from January 1985 to December 2002, an 18-year period. Data on the number and type of caesarean section, age of patients and the indication for the elective caesarean section were extracted and analyzed.

Results: A total number of 41 470 deliveries were conducted within the period of study. Out of these deliveries, 6 557 were caesarean sections giving a caesarean section rate of 15.8%. Elective caesarean sections were performed in 970 (14.8%), and emergency caesarean sections in 5 587 (85.2%) of all the caesarean sections. The rate of elective caesarean section increased from 8.9% in 1985-1986 to a rate of 22.5% in the last two years of the study period. Repeat caesarean section was the commonest indication for elective caesarean sections in 51.9% of the cases, followed by bad
obstetric history (BOH) in 10.8%.

Conclusions: Elective caesarean section accounted for 1 out of every 6 caesarean sections in the center. The
commonest single indication for the elective caesarean section was repeat caesarean section for 2 or more previous caesarean sections.

Keywords: elective, emergency, caesarean section, Nigeria

Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol. 22(1) 2005: 39-41

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eISSN: 0189-5117