Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities... more Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities. It is associated with physical and social deprivation such as wife abandonment and violent reactions against the victims particularly in the developing countries of the world. To study the demographic and reproductive profiles as well as management of patients with obstetric fistulae in UCTH, Calabar, Nigeria. A five-year retrospective study of case records of 37 patients managed in Maternity Annex of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Nigeria for obstetric genito-urinary fistulae was carried out. One in every 122 parturients during the period had fistula. Eleven (29.7%) were teenagers. Many patients were married (54.1%), nulliparous (59.4%), come from low socioeconomic class (72.9%) and did not utilize modern obstetric facilities properly. Many cases resulted from prolonged obstructed labour (51.4%) and 70.2% presented with total incontinence of urine. Eighteen (48.7%) w...
BACKGROUND Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal ... more BACKGROUND Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities. It is associated with physical and social deprivation such as wife abandonment and violent reactions against the victims particularly in the developing countries of the world. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To study the demographic and reproductive profiles as well as management of patients with obstetric fistulae in UCTH, Calabar, Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHOD A five-year retrospective study of case records of 37 patients managed in Maternity Annex of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Nigeria for obstetric genito-urinary fistulae was carried out. RESULTS One in every 122 parturients during the period had fistula. Eleven (29.7%) were teenagers. Many patients were married (54.1%), nulliparous (59.4%), come from low socioeconomic class (72.9%) and did not utilize modern obstetric facilities properly. Many cases resulted from prolonged obstructed labour (51.4%) and 70.2% pre...
A total of 508 women coming for antinatal care had a structured interview about the risk factors ... more A total of 508 women coming for antinatal care had a structured interview about the risk factors for HIV/AIDS. While most knew about HIV and that it could be transmitted sexually, knowledge of mother-to-child transmission was poor. Only 23% knew that HIV could be transmitted by breast milk. In all, 85% would not care for a relative with AIDS.
Background. Prolonged obstructed labour is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and ... more Background. Prolonged obstructed labour is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality especially in the developing countries of the world, where the incidence is high. These complications are partly attributed to the metabolic and electrolyte derangements that are often associated with this problem. It is, therefore, important to evaluate the metabolic and electrolyte changes of these patients in a rural community in a developing country. Objective. To compare the electrolyte changes, maternal, and perinatal outcomes in patients with prolonged obstructed labour with that of normal labour in General Hospital Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Patients and Methods. This is a prospective cross-sectional case control study conducted in the Labour Ward of the General Hospital Ikot Ekpene to compare the electrolyte levels and perinatal outcome of 95 pregnant women who had prolonged labour with 105 women who had normal labour within the same period. Main Outcome Me...
Background. Teenage pregnancy being a high risk condition requires skilled attention for good out... more 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 (; ). The mean duration of labour in booked teenagers was hours, while unbooked teenagers was hours (t-value  ; ). There was statistically more caesarean sections among unbooked teenage pregnancies than booked (; ). Stillbirth was statistically significant (; ) among unbooked teenagers than booked. However, early neonatal death was not significantly...
Unsafe abortion still contributes significantly to high maternal morbidity and mortality particul... more Unsafe abortion still contributes significantly to high maternal morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries despite concerted efforts being made to reduce it. Our objective is to determine the incidence, mode presentation and complications of Unsafe abortion. This prospective study was carried out by directly interviewing patients managed for unsafe abortion over one and half years period (1" June 2003, to 31st' December, 2004) in Maternity Annex of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Calabar, Nigeria. Incidence of Unsafe abortion of 27.6% of all gynaecological admissions was established. Most Patients (55.7%) were age 20 30 years while 25.4% were teenagers. There were 33(27.1%) students, 38.2% were single women and 38.5% had secondary education. The major reasons given for terminating the pregnancy included completion of education (25.4%), fear of parental action (18.8%) and in 17.2% the father of the pregnancy was unknown. Medical officers (32.8%) performed majority of the abortions while 10.7% were self induced by the patients themselves. Main complications encountered included retained product of conceptions, haemorrhage, sepsis, injuries to genital tracts and intra-abdomal organs. Unsafe abortion and it complications occurs in all socioeconomic groups. Efforts directed at reducing unintended pregnancy by comprehensive family planning programs and effective emergency post abortal care services will reduce the problem while the legal status of abortion is being debated.
Background: This study was carried out to highlight the prevalence of cancer of the uterine cervi... more Background: This study was carried out to highlight the prevalence of cancer of the uterine cervix and shortcoming in the management of cervical cancer in our hospital. There is the need to improve on our personnel training and equipment acquisition. Method: This was a retrospective study. Case folders of forty-seven patients who were diagnosed with cancer of the cervix were retrieved and reviewed. Information on age, parity, clinical presentation, stages of the disease and management as well as management problems were analyzed. Results: There were 1450 admissions into the gynaecology ward during the study. Forty patients had histologically confirmed cancer of the cervix. This gave cervical cancer a prevalence of 2.76% of gynaecology ward admissions in this center. 82.5% presented with late stage disease where little or nothing could be done for them. Conclusion: Cancer of the uterine cervix is still a problem in our setting where uptake of screening methods and the availability of cytopathologists are still dismally low.
Lithopaedion is a rare clinical condition resulting from dystrophic calcification of extra-uterin... more Lithopaedion is a rare clinical condition resulting from dystrophic calcification of extra-uterine foetus after demise. It often involves singleton foetuses but twin lithopaedions have also been reported. This case report is on a 30-year old Para 1+4 woman who presented with a 5-year history of abdominal discomfort and swelling. She became pregnant about 6-years ago and attended clinics only thrice. However at the 9 th month, she developed a fever and thereafter no longer felt foetal movements for which she took herbal concoctions. Pregnancy symptoms subsequently ceased and menstruation resumed 6 months later. She had laboratory and radiologic investigations and then laparotomy with extraction of a stone baby. She made good post-operative recovery.
ABSTRACT Objective: This study was conducted to determine the infertility pattern among Nigerian ... more ABSTRACT Objective: This study was conducted to determine the infertility pattern among Nigerian couples in Calabar and to examine the outcome of our management strategies. Methods: A retrospective descriptive design study based on findings from the clinical files of infertile couples presenting at the gynaecology and the male fertility clinics of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital over a five-year period (2001-2005). Data were collected from all the documented clinical and laboratory findings. Results: The obvious causes of infertility constituted 58% in females, 30% in males and 12% in both partners. Primary infertility was found in 69.7% of males and 34.5% of females and secondary infertility in 30.3% of males and 65.5% of females. Infection appears to be a strong predisposing factor to infertility in both male and female patients in our study population. Pregnancy was achieved in 24% of our female patients who had tubal surgery, while 69% of our males who had varicocelectomy had improvement in seminal fluid parameters. Conclusion: Prevention and prompt treatment of infection, particularly the sexually transmitted infections could be beneficial in the reduction of infertility among couples.
The objective of this study is to determine the impact of diagnosing and treating incidental medi... more The objective of this study is to determine the impact of diagnosing and treating incidental medical disorders on contraceptive acceptance/use. The setting was the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, a tertiary referral centre for the South-South zone of Nigeria and South-west Cameroon. Subjects were apparently healthy women seeking contraceptive counselling at the Teaching Hospital, Calabar (2001-2005). A total of 4,990 women's records were studied for the diagnosis of incidental medical findings. Two levels of missed opportunity for contraceptive uptake were identified. Incidental medical findings were seen in 26.9% of women. Contraceptive acceptance in women with incidental medical findings was 24.8%. Defaults from the screening process and treatment of incidental medical findings were significantly associated with high parity and low social status (p < 0.5). Incidental medical disorders, although uncommon in women desiring contraception were associated with low contraceptive uptake in women with high parity and low social status.
A case of omental endometriosis with recurrent haemorrhagic ascites in a 22 year old nullipara is... more A case of omental endometriosis with recurrent haemorrhagic ascites in a 22 year old nullipara is presented. She first presented at a private hospital with a three month history of progressive abdominal distention and the transabdominal ultrasound scan revealed a right ovarian mass with massive ascites. She had laparotomy and the histology reports of the omental and ovarian samples revealed endometriosis and fibroma respectively. She presented to us with a recurrence of the distension six months later. Repeat transabdominal ultrasound scan and an abdominopelvic computed tomograhpy revealed only a massive ascites. She had a second laparotomy and the histology of the degenerating omental sample still revealed endometriosis. Patient was managed satisfactorily on hormonal therapy without recurrence over a two year follow up. The Literature on the appropriate imaging modalities in endometriosis is reviewed and these showed that with judicious use, imaging is accurate in the pre operative diagnosis.
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompt... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompted this study to determine the incidence in Calabar over two time frames. Information from ward registers and case notes of EP patients who presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were analyzed and compared with records of those who presented from 1996 to 2000. In the second half of the study period, the incidence was 3.30 per 100 deliveries, significantly higher than 2.19% in the first (p = 0.0008). The mean age of EP patients was 26.2 (sd = 5.38), significantly lower than 28.8 (sd = 5.99) for women who delivered in the same period (p < 0.01), while the mean parity was 2.2 (sd = 2.15) significantly higher than 1.7 (sd = 1.90) for women who delivered in the same period (p = 0.01). The incidence was higher in the younger age groups (p = 0.000) with the highest of 5.81% recorded by age group 20-24. Conversely, it rose with parity (0.00002) to a peak of 5.03% at para 4. There was also a rise in their mean parity from 1.9 (sd = 2.08) in the first half to 2.4 (sd = 2.05) in the second (p < 0.05) and a rise in the prevalence of pelvic adhesions from 38.3% to 68.9% (p = 0.00) Rates of other documented risk factors were not significantly different in the two halves of the study (p > 0.05). The incidence of EP appears to be rising in Calabar and puerperal infections may be important in the rise. Population-based prospective studies are necessary to confirm the findings. KEYWORDS: Ectopic Pregnancy, Calabar, Nigeria
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of breast cancer and the consistent finding of a significa... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of breast cancer and the consistent finding of a significantly younger population of breast cancer patients in the country than in the west led to this study to determine the proportion of women who have a clinical breast examination at the booking visit for antenatal care in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).The booking information on the antenatal cards of patients who registered within a one-month period was examined. Clinical breast examination (CBE) was performed on 41.6% of the women. Women who were reviewed by consultants recorded a rate of 78.2% while the rates for women attended to by resident doctors and interns were 41.2% and 19.6% respectively (P=0.00). The CBE rate was 57.6% among women who were reviewed by female physicians and 38.3% among those reviewed by male physicians (P = 0.00). The practice of CBE in UCTH is low and is significantly related to the cadre and gender of the attending physician. Obstetricians must embrace the practice fully and utilize measures such as increased supervision and departmental seminars to sensitize doctors they train to emulate them. KEYWORDS: Antenatal, Practice and Breast Examination
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompt... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompted this study to determine the incidence in Calabar over two time frames. Information from ward registers and case notes of EP patients who presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were analyzed and compared with records of those who presented from 1996 to 2000. In the second half of the study period, the incidence was 3.30 per 100 deliveries, significantly higher than 2.19% in the first (p = 0.0008). The mean age of EP patients was 26.2 (sd = 5.38), significantly lower than 28.8 (sd = 5.99) for women who delivered in the same period (p < 0.01), while the mean parity was 2.2 (sd = 2.15) significantly higher than 1.7 (sd = 1.90) for women who delivered in the same period (p = 0.01). The incidence was higher in the younger age groups (p = 0.000) with the highest of 5.81% recorded by age group 20-24. Conversely, it rose with parity (0.00002) to a peak of 5.03% at para 4. There was also a rise in their mean parity from 1.9 (sd = 2.08) in the first half to 2.4 (sd = 2.05) in the second (p < 0.05) and a rise in the prevalence of pelvic adhesions from 38.3% to 68.9% (p = 0.00) Rates of other documented risk factors were not significantly different in the two halves of the study (p > 0.05). The incidence of EP appears to be rising in Calabar and puerperal infections may be important in the rise. Population-based prospective studies are necessary to confirm the findings. KEYWORDS: Ectopic Pregnancy, Calabar, Nigeria
... Copyright EI Ekanem et al ... at the vulva and patients neglected to their own plight.3 Since... more ... Copyright EI Ekanem et al ... at the vulva and patients neglected to their own plight.3 Since the first attempt at repair of vesicovaginal fistula by H. Van Roonhuyse in 1693, great advances and innovations have been introduced by various workers such as George Hayward (1839 ...
Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities... more Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities. It is associated with physical and social deprivation such as wife abandonment and violent reactions against the victims particularly in the developing countries of the world. To study the demographic and reproductive profiles as well as management of patients with obstetric fistulae in UCTH, Calabar, Nigeria. A five-year retrospective study of case records of 37 patients managed in Maternity Annex of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Nigeria for obstetric genito-urinary fistulae was carried out. One in every 122 parturients during the period had fistula. Eleven (29.7%) were teenagers. Many patients were married (54.1%), nulliparous (59.4%), come from low socioeconomic class (72.9%) and did not utilize modern obstetric facilities properly. Many cases resulted from prolonged obstructed labour (51.4%) and 70.2% presented with total incontinence of urine. Eighteen (48.7%) w...
BACKGROUND Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal ... more BACKGROUND Obstetric fistulae with Urinary incontinence are one of the most distressing maternal morbidities. It is associated with physical and social deprivation such as wife abandonment and violent reactions against the victims particularly in the developing countries of the world. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To study the demographic and reproductive profiles as well as management of patients with obstetric fistulae in UCTH, Calabar, Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHOD A five-year retrospective study of case records of 37 patients managed in Maternity Annex of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Nigeria for obstetric genito-urinary fistulae was carried out. RESULTS One in every 122 parturients during the period had fistula. Eleven (29.7%) were teenagers. Many patients were married (54.1%), nulliparous (59.4%), come from low socioeconomic class (72.9%) and did not utilize modern obstetric facilities properly. Many cases resulted from prolonged obstructed labour (51.4%) and 70.2% pre...
A total of 508 women coming for antinatal care had a structured interview about the risk factors ... more A total of 508 women coming for antinatal care had a structured interview about the risk factors for HIV/AIDS. While most knew about HIV and that it could be transmitted sexually, knowledge of mother-to-child transmission was poor. Only 23% knew that HIV could be transmitted by breast milk. In all, 85% would not care for a relative with AIDS.
Background. Prolonged obstructed labour is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and ... more Background. Prolonged obstructed labour is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality especially in the developing countries of the world, where the incidence is high. These complications are partly attributed to the metabolic and electrolyte derangements that are often associated with this problem. It is, therefore, important to evaluate the metabolic and electrolyte changes of these patients in a rural community in a developing country. Objective. To compare the electrolyte changes, maternal, and perinatal outcomes in patients with prolonged obstructed labour with that of normal labour in General Hospital Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Patients and Methods. This is a prospective cross-sectional case control study conducted in the Labour Ward of the General Hospital Ikot Ekpene to compare the electrolyte levels and perinatal outcome of 95 pregnant women who had prolonged labour with 105 women who had normal labour within the same period. Main Outcome Me...
Background. Teenage pregnancy being a high risk condition requires skilled attention for good out... more 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 (; ). The mean duration of labour in booked teenagers was hours, while unbooked teenagers was hours (t-value  ; ). There was statistically more caesarean sections among unbooked teenage pregnancies than booked (; ). Stillbirth was statistically significant (; ) among unbooked teenagers than booked. However, early neonatal death was not significantly...
Unsafe abortion still contributes significantly to high maternal morbidity and mortality particul... more Unsafe abortion still contributes significantly to high maternal morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries despite concerted efforts being made to reduce it. Our objective is to determine the incidence, mode presentation and complications of Unsafe abortion. This prospective study was carried out by directly interviewing patients managed for unsafe abortion over one and half years period (1" June 2003, to 31st' December, 2004) in Maternity Annex of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital Calabar, Nigeria. Incidence of Unsafe abortion of 27.6% of all gynaecological admissions was established. Most Patients (55.7%) were age 20 30 years while 25.4% were teenagers. There were 33(27.1%) students, 38.2% were single women and 38.5% had secondary education. The major reasons given for terminating the pregnancy included completion of education (25.4%), fear of parental action (18.8%) and in 17.2% the father of the pregnancy was unknown. Medical officers (32.8%) performed majority of the abortions while 10.7% were self induced by the patients themselves. Main complications encountered included retained product of conceptions, haemorrhage, sepsis, injuries to genital tracts and intra-abdomal organs. Unsafe abortion and it complications occurs in all socioeconomic groups. Efforts directed at reducing unintended pregnancy by comprehensive family planning programs and effective emergency post abortal care services will reduce the problem while the legal status of abortion is being debated.
Background: This study was carried out to highlight the prevalence of cancer of the uterine cervi... more Background: This study was carried out to highlight the prevalence of cancer of the uterine cervix and shortcoming in the management of cervical cancer in our hospital. There is the need to improve on our personnel training and equipment acquisition. Method: This was a retrospective study. Case folders of forty-seven patients who were diagnosed with cancer of the cervix were retrieved and reviewed. Information on age, parity, clinical presentation, stages of the disease and management as well as management problems were analyzed. Results: There were 1450 admissions into the gynaecology ward during the study. Forty patients had histologically confirmed cancer of the cervix. This gave cervical cancer a prevalence of 2.76% of gynaecology ward admissions in this center. 82.5% presented with late stage disease where little or nothing could be done for them. Conclusion: Cancer of the uterine cervix is still a problem in our setting where uptake of screening methods and the availability of cytopathologists are still dismally low.
Lithopaedion is a rare clinical condition resulting from dystrophic calcification of extra-uterin... more Lithopaedion is a rare clinical condition resulting from dystrophic calcification of extra-uterine foetus after demise. It often involves singleton foetuses but twin lithopaedions have also been reported. This case report is on a 30-year old Para 1+4 woman who presented with a 5-year history of abdominal discomfort and swelling. She became pregnant about 6-years ago and attended clinics only thrice. However at the 9 th month, she developed a fever and thereafter no longer felt foetal movements for which she took herbal concoctions. Pregnancy symptoms subsequently ceased and menstruation resumed 6 months later. She had laboratory and radiologic investigations and then laparotomy with extraction of a stone baby. She made good post-operative recovery.
ABSTRACT Objective: This study was conducted to determine the infertility pattern among Nigerian ... more ABSTRACT Objective: This study was conducted to determine the infertility pattern among Nigerian couples in Calabar and to examine the outcome of our management strategies. Methods: A retrospective descriptive design study based on findings from the clinical files of infertile couples presenting at the gynaecology and the male fertility clinics of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital over a five-year period (2001-2005). Data were collected from all the documented clinical and laboratory findings. Results: The obvious causes of infertility constituted 58% in females, 30% in males and 12% in both partners. Primary infertility was found in 69.7% of males and 34.5% of females and secondary infertility in 30.3% of males and 65.5% of females. Infection appears to be a strong predisposing factor to infertility in both male and female patients in our study population. Pregnancy was achieved in 24% of our female patients who had tubal surgery, while 69% of our males who had varicocelectomy had improvement in seminal fluid parameters. Conclusion: Prevention and prompt treatment of infection, particularly the sexually transmitted infections could be beneficial in the reduction of infertility among couples.
The objective of this study is to determine the impact of diagnosing and treating incidental medi... more The objective of this study is to determine the impact of diagnosing and treating incidental medical disorders on contraceptive acceptance/use. The setting was the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, a tertiary referral centre for the South-South zone of Nigeria and South-west Cameroon. Subjects were apparently healthy women seeking contraceptive counselling at the Teaching Hospital, Calabar (2001-2005). A total of 4,990 women's records were studied for the diagnosis of incidental medical findings. Two levels of missed opportunity for contraceptive uptake were identified. Incidental medical findings were seen in 26.9% of women. Contraceptive acceptance in women with incidental medical findings was 24.8%. Defaults from the screening process and treatment of incidental medical findings were significantly associated with high parity and low social status (p < 0.5). Incidental medical disorders, although uncommon in women desiring contraception were associated with low contraceptive uptake in women with high parity and low social status.
A case of omental endometriosis with recurrent haemorrhagic ascites in a 22 year old nullipara is... more A case of omental endometriosis with recurrent haemorrhagic ascites in a 22 year old nullipara is presented. She first presented at a private hospital with a three month history of progressive abdominal distention and the transabdominal ultrasound scan revealed a right ovarian mass with massive ascites. She had laparotomy and the histology reports of the omental and ovarian samples revealed endometriosis and fibroma respectively. She presented to us with a recurrence of the distension six months later. Repeat transabdominal ultrasound scan and an abdominopelvic computed tomograhpy revealed only a massive ascites. She had a second laparotomy and the histology of the degenerating omental sample still revealed endometriosis. Patient was managed satisfactorily on hormonal therapy without recurrence over a two year follow up. The Literature on the appropriate imaging modalities in endometriosis is reviewed and these showed that with judicious use, imaging is accurate in the pre operative diagnosis.
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompt... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompted this study to determine the incidence in Calabar over two time frames. Information from ward registers and case notes of EP patients who presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were analyzed and compared with records of those who presented from 1996 to 2000. In the second half of the study period, the incidence was 3.30 per 100 deliveries, significantly higher than 2.19% in the first (p = 0.0008). The mean age of EP patients was 26.2 (sd = 5.38), significantly lower than 28.8 (sd = 5.99) for women who delivered in the same period (p < 0.01), while the mean parity was 2.2 (sd = 2.15) significantly higher than 1.7 (sd = 1.90) for women who delivered in the same period (p = 0.01). The incidence was higher in the younger age groups (p = 0.000) with the highest of 5.81% recorded by age group 20-24. Conversely, it rose with parity (0.00002) to a peak of 5.03% at para 4. There was also a rise in their mean parity from 1.9 (sd = 2.08) in the first half to 2.4 (sd = 2.05) in the second (p < 0.05) and a rise in the prevalence of pelvic adhesions from 38.3% to 68.9% (p = 0.00) Rates of other documented risk factors were not significantly different in the two halves of the study (p > 0.05). The incidence of EP appears to be rising in Calabar and puerperal infections may be important in the rise. Population-based prospective studies are necessary to confirm the findings. KEYWORDS: Ectopic Pregnancy, Calabar, Nigeria
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of breast cancer and the consistent finding of a significa... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of breast cancer and the consistent finding of a significantly younger population of breast cancer patients in the country than in the west led to this study to determine the proportion of women who have a clinical breast examination at the booking visit for antenatal care in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).The booking information on the antenatal cards of patients who registered within a one-month period was examined. Clinical breast examination (CBE) was performed on 41.6% of the women. Women who were reviewed by consultants recorded a rate of 78.2% while the rates for women attended to by resident doctors and interns were 41.2% and 19.6% respectively (P=0.00). The CBE rate was 57.6% among women who were reviewed by female physicians and 38.3% among those reviewed by male physicians (P = 0.00). The practice of CBE in UCTH is low and is significantly related to the cadre and gender of the attending physician. Obstetricians must embrace the practice fully and utilize measures such as increased supervision and departmental seminars to sensitize doctors they train to emulate them. KEYWORDS: Antenatal, Practice and Breast Examination
ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompt... more ABSTRACT Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompted this study to determine the incidence in Calabar over two time frames. Information from ward registers and case notes of EP patients who presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were analyzed and compared with records of those who presented from 1996 to 2000. In the second half of the study period, the incidence was 3.30 per 100 deliveries, significantly higher than 2.19% in the first (p = 0.0008). The mean age of EP patients was 26.2 (sd = 5.38), significantly lower than 28.8 (sd = 5.99) for women who delivered in the same period (p < 0.01), while the mean parity was 2.2 (sd = 2.15) significantly higher than 1.7 (sd = 1.90) for women who delivered in the same period (p = 0.01). The incidence was higher in the younger age groups (p = 0.000) with the highest of 5.81% recorded by age group 20-24. Conversely, it rose with parity (0.00002) to a peak of 5.03% at para 4. There was also a rise in their mean parity from 1.9 (sd = 2.08) in the first half to 2.4 (sd = 2.05) in the second (p < 0.05) and a rise in the prevalence of pelvic adhesions from 38.3% to 68.9% (p = 0.00) Rates of other documented risk factors were not significantly different in the two halves of the study (p > 0.05). The incidence of EP appears to be rising in Calabar and puerperal infections may be important in the rise. Population-based prospective studies are necessary to confirm the findings. KEYWORDS: Ectopic Pregnancy, Calabar, Nigeria
... Copyright EI Ekanem et al ... at the vulva and patients neglected to their own plight.3 Since... more ... Copyright EI Ekanem et al ... at the vulva and patients neglected to their own plight.3 Since the first attempt at repair of vesicovaginal fistula by H. Van Roonhuyse in 1693, great advances and innovations have been introduced by various workers such as George Hayward (1839 ...
Uploads
Papers by Etim Ekanem