An Appraisal of Retained Placenta As A Complication of Third Stage of Labour At Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki Over A Four Year Period

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

 An Appraisal of Retained Placenta As A Complication of Third Stage of Labour At Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki Over A Four Year Period

Darlington-Peter Chibuzor UGOJI^1*, Chuma Conrad EGBUJI¹, Obiora Godfrey ASIEGBU¹, Uzoma Maryrose AGWU¹, Ugochi Chimerem UGOJI², Chibueze Haggai NJOKU³, Odidika Ugochukwu Joannes UMEORA¹

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
²School of Nursing, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
³Department of Internal Medicine, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria
^*Corresponding Author

Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Retained placenta is a potentially life threatening complication and the second major indication of blood transfusion in third stage of labour. It affects 1 – 3% of all deliveries and 0.1 – 3.3% of vaginal deliveries. This study was aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors and treatment modalities for patients who were managed for retained placenta at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective review of records from January 2012 to December 2015. The case files of all women who had retained placenta were retrieved and reviewed. Data were retrieved, entered into a study proforma, reviewed and analyzed. The results were expressed using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: There were 46 cases of retained placenta (0.5%) out of 8651 deliveries. The 42 retrieved and reviewed cases presented after 60minutes of the delivery of the baby with a mean duration of 6.74hours. It was common among parturient aged 20–30years (52.4%), para 2-4 (54.8%), unbooked (88.1%), rural dwellers (92.9%), farmers (33.3%), those with secondary education (38.1%) and majority of the deliveries were term (90.5%). Risk factors identified were unbooked status (24.5%), multiparity (22.5%) and unskilled attendant at delivery (15.2%). Manual removal of the placenta was the commonest method of treatment (59.5%). At presentation 57.1% delivered at home/TBA and 23.8% were actively bleeding, 73.8% were normotensive while 11.9% were in shock.
CONCLUSION: The incidence of retained placenta was low but most presented late with morbidities were present.

Keywords: Manual removal of placenta, Post-partum haemorrhage, Retained placenta, third stage labour.

Read More