Caesarean Section Rate and its Indications in An Urban Private Hospital in Jos, North Central Nigeria: A 15-Year Survey.

Abstract

Caesarean section reduces the morbidity and mortality associated with complicated childbirth when it is performed for the right indication. Objective: We reviewed the rate and indications for caesarean section in an urban private hospital in Jos. Methods: It was a retrospective study of 228 women who delivered by caesarean section in a private hospital. Results: The mean age of the patients was 26.4 + 5.8 years. The caesarean section rate was 8.9%. Of these, 64 (28.1%) were elective while 164(71.9%) were emergency procedures. The commonest indication for caesarean section was cephalopelvic disproportion (40.0 %), followed by preeclampsia/eclampsia (18.0%) and previous caesarean (11.8%). The least frequent indications were uterine rupture and maternal sickle cell disease, both at 0.4%. Conclusion: Indications for caesarean section in this private hospital was similar to public hospitals in the same country. A regular review of indications for caesarean section in any facility is an important aspect of auditing obstetric care services. A universal guide for obtaining and keeping patients records should be developed .This would go a long way in enhancing reliable data generation for future research and ultimately, improving obstetric care service.