Puerperal Morbidity Following Caesarean Section in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Abstract

A prospective descriptive study was undertaken to determine the incidence and causes of puerperal morbidity after caesarean section in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital from 1 st to 30 th June 2010. There were a total of 906 deliveries during the study period, of which 299 had caesarean section giving a caesarean section rate of 33%. Primary caesarean section was 57.7%. The incidence of puerperal morbidity after caesarean section was 45.6%. Painful incisional site (21%), puerperal febrile morbidity (16%), depression (12.0%) severe anaemia (12%) Urinary tract infection (6.2%) and wound infections (5.8%) were the leading causes of puerperal morbidities. Other morbidities included hypertensive disorders (4.2%), malaria (3.2%) mastitis (2.5%), postpartum haemorrhage (2.1%), and endometritis (1.2%). Conculsion: There was considerable maternal morbidity after caesarean section at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. There is a need for improvements in post operative care to reduce puerperal morbidity following caesarean section; adequate post operative pain management would reduce morbidity to a greater extent.