Background: Labour is a stressful physical and psychological experience in a woman’s life, requiring optimal coping mechanism. Companionship provides such needed support in this vulnerable moment of women. The presen...Background: Labour is a stressful physical and psychological experience in a woman’s life, requiring optimal coping mechanism. Companionship provides such needed support in this vulnerable moment of women. The presence of a companion of the woman’s choice had been noted to have a positive influence on her satisfaction with the birth process. Objectives: To ascertain the attitude of antenatal clinic attendees to companionship in labour and delivery and their preferred companions. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted between 10th June 2016 and 28th July 2016 on 297 antenatal clinic attendees at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. The respondents completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire assessing the attitude of antenatal clinic attendees to companionship in labour and delivery and their preferred companions. The data was analyzed using EpiinfoTM version 7.1.5. Results: A total of 297 pregnant women participated in the study. They were mainly Igbos (93.27%), and Christians (96.97%). Their ages ranged from 18 - 50 years with most of them between 21 - 30 years (68.35%). Most of the women had tertiary education (48%), and were unemployed (36.36%). Ninety two percent of the respondents wished for companionship in labour, while 32.66% has had companion in previous delivery(ies). All of the women that had experienced companionship expressed satisfaction with it. Majority of them preferred their Partners/Husbands as companions (47%). Conclusion: Majority of our women were desirous of companionship and preferred their partners/husbands.展开更多
Background: The placenta is in a key position to determine the final birth weight of foetuses because adequate placental function is necessary for delivery of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the foetus. The relatio...Background: The placenta is in a key position to determine the final birth weight of foetuses because adequate placental function is necessary for delivery of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the foetus. The relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates has been reported from several publications but such reports from Abakaliki are lacking in literature. Aim: To determine the relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates delivered at term at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki. Materials and Method: It was a retrospective study conducted between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2015. The statistical analysis was done using Epi Info software version 7.2.1 (CDC Atlanta Georgia). Result: The mean birth weight was 3344 ± 488 g while the mean placental weight was 617 ± 78 g. The mean placental weight to birth weight ratio (PBWR X 100) was 19.94% ± 4.2%. Increase in birth weight of the neonate was associated with a corresponding increase in placental weight with a strong statistical significance level (P = 0.968). One thousand nine hundred and five (90.5%) patients had PBWR that ranged between 15% and 24%, which was associated with good immediate neonatal outcome. The placental weight to birth weight ratio outside this range was associated with increased admission into NICU and perinatal mortality at an odd ratio of 0.5844 and a statistical significance level (P) of 0.0036. Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between placental weight and birth weight of the neonate. Knowing the PBWR at birth may help to know the foetus at risk of immediate poor neonatal outcome in order to expedite actions to prevent possible poor perinatal outcome.展开更多
文摘Background: Labour is a stressful physical and psychological experience in a woman’s life, requiring optimal coping mechanism. Companionship provides such needed support in this vulnerable moment of women. The presence of a companion of the woman’s choice had been noted to have a positive influence on her satisfaction with the birth process. Objectives: To ascertain the attitude of antenatal clinic attendees to companionship in labour and delivery and their preferred companions. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted between 10th June 2016 and 28th July 2016 on 297 antenatal clinic attendees at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. The respondents completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire assessing the attitude of antenatal clinic attendees to companionship in labour and delivery and their preferred companions. The data was analyzed using EpiinfoTM version 7.1.5. Results: A total of 297 pregnant women participated in the study. They were mainly Igbos (93.27%), and Christians (96.97%). Their ages ranged from 18 - 50 years with most of them between 21 - 30 years (68.35%). Most of the women had tertiary education (48%), and were unemployed (36.36%). Ninety two percent of the respondents wished for companionship in labour, while 32.66% has had companion in previous delivery(ies). All of the women that had experienced companionship expressed satisfaction with it. Majority of them preferred their Partners/Husbands as companions (47%). Conclusion: Majority of our women were desirous of companionship and preferred their partners/husbands.
文摘Background: The placenta is in a key position to determine the final birth weight of foetuses because adequate placental function is necessary for delivery of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the foetus. The relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates has been reported from several publications but such reports from Abakaliki are lacking in literature. Aim: To determine the relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates delivered at term at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki. Materials and Method: It was a retrospective study conducted between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2015. The statistical analysis was done using Epi Info software version 7.2.1 (CDC Atlanta Georgia). Result: The mean birth weight was 3344 ± 488 g while the mean placental weight was 617 ± 78 g. The mean placental weight to birth weight ratio (PBWR X 100) was 19.94% ± 4.2%. Increase in birth weight of the neonate was associated with a corresponding increase in placental weight with a strong statistical significance level (P = 0.968). One thousand nine hundred and five (90.5%) patients had PBWR that ranged between 15% and 24%, which was associated with good immediate neonatal outcome. The placental weight to birth weight ratio outside this range was associated with increased admission into NICU and perinatal mortality at an odd ratio of 0.5844 and a statistical significance level (P) of 0.0036. Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between placental weight and birth weight of the neonate. Knowing the PBWR at birth may help to know the foetus at risk of immediate poor neonatal outcome in order to expedite actions to prevent possible poor perinatal outcome.
