The incidence of caesarean sections in the university clinical center of kosovo

Caesarean section: epidemiology and indications at General Provincial Hospital of Kananga

The aim of our study is to describe the epidemiological profile and indications for caesarean section at the maternity ward of the Provincial General Hospital of Kananga from January 1^st 2014 to December 31^st 2020. This is a descriptive study of a series of cases from the medical records of cesarean patients and based on non-probabilistic sampling of suitability for cases selection. The sample of our study is composed of 1395 cases. The frequency of caesarean section is 16.10% with an annual average of 199.30 (SD 18.20) cases per year, the average age of patients is 25.39 years (SD 1.23), the primiparity is the most affected with 27.38 %, hemorrhagic placenta previa is the most common indication in 26.86%, maternal complications is present in 46.73% and the maternal mortality rate due to cesarean section is 531 per 100.000 live births. The practice of caesarean section constitutes a real problem and our results can serve as a basis for in-depth studies on indications and maternal complications of caesarean section in order to reduce the risks associated with the practice of caesarean section in our environment.

Health system factors and caesarean sections in Kosovo: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of caesarean section rates with the health system characteristics in the public hospitals of Kosovo.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Five largest public hospitals in Kosovo.

PARTICIPANTS

859 women with low-risk deliveries who delivered from April to May 2015 in five public hospitals in Kosovo.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The prespecified outcomes were the crude and adjusted OR of births delivered with caesarean section by health system characteristics such as delivery by the physician who provided antenatal care, health insurance status and other. Additional prespecified outcomes were caesarean section rates and crude ORs for delivery with caesarean in each public hospital.

RESULTS

Women with personal monthly income had increased odds for caesarean (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.27), as did women with private health insurance coverage (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.20 to 9.85). Women instructed by a midwife on preparation for delivery had decreasing odds (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.51) while women having preference for a caesarean had increasing odds for delivery with caesarean (OR 3.84, 95% CI 1.96 to 7.51). The odds for caesarean increased also in the case of delivery by a physician who provided antenatal care (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.67) and delivery during office hours (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.37 to 4.05), while delivery at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo decreased the odds for caesarean (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that several health system characteristics are associated with the increase of caesarean sections in a low-risk population of delivering women in public hospitals of Kosovo. These findings should be explored further and addressed via policy measures that would tackle provision of unnecessary caesareans. The study findings could assist Kosovo to develop corrective policies in addressing overuse of caesareans and may provide useful information for other middle-income countries.

[Cesarean section in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo I: frequency, indications and maternal and perinatal mortality]

Introduction

La fréquence de la césarienne (CS) ne cesse d'augmenter ces dernières décennies mais cette augmentation diffère énormément d'un pays à un autre et dans un même milieu, d'une institution médicale à une autre. L'objectif de cette étude est d'étudier la fréquence, les indications et la morbi-mortalité maternelle et périnatale de la césarienne (CS) à Lubumbashi, République Démocratique du Congo (RDC).

Méthodes

Étude multicentrique, rétrospective, descriptive et analytique de 3643 CS consécutives sur un total de 34199 accouchements dans cinq formations hospitalières de référence à Lubumbashi (RDC) entre le 1er janvier 2009 et le 31 décembre 2013. Les données sociodémographiques, les indications, l'environnement obstétrical et la morbi-mortalité maternelle et périnatale ont été analysés au logiciel Epi Info 2011. Les fréquences exprimées en pourcentage et les moyennes avec leurs écart-types ont été calculés. Le test de Chi-carré et le test exact de Fisher lorsque recommandés ont été utilisés pour la comparaison des fréquences au seuil de signification de p<0,05.

Résultats

La fréquence moyenne de césarienne était de 10,65%. Elle est passée de 10,24% en 2009 à 11,38% en 2013 soit une croissance de 11,13% (p=0,03). Cinquante-un virgule quatre pourcent de CS étaient effectuées après tentative de la voie basse et 48,6% dans un contexte d'urgence obstétricale. Les indications sont restées constantes et dominées par la disproportion fœto-pelvienne (18,6%), la souffrance fœtale aiguë (11,9%), la mal présentation fœtale (10,1%), le placenta prævia (9,2%) et le bassin rétréci (8,4%). La morbidité maternelle s'élève à 11,6% matérialisée par les complications hémorragiques dans 6,1%. La mortalité maternelle globale est passée de 2,3‰ en 2009 à 6,4‰ en 2013 soit une inflation de 178,26%. Pour la voie haute, elle est passée de 4‰ à 16,7‰ pour les 4 dernières années prises ensemble équivalant à une inflation de 317,5% (p=0,005) contre 2,1‰à 2,8‰ (33,33% d'inflation ; p=0,296) pour la voie basse au cours de la même période. La mortalité périnatale globale a connu une augmentation de 56,04% l'année 2010 (p=0,0000) et 43,36% en 2013 (p=0,0000). Concernant la CS, l'on notera une amélioration de la mortalité périnatale de 48,64% les trois premières années suivant 2009 (59,4‰contre 70,5‰; p=0,3278), amélioration à laquelle succédera une hausse de 46,52% (p=0,026). Globalement, la mortalité périnatale n'aura pas été significativement modifiée par la dynamique évolutive de la CS durant ces 5 années.

Conclusion

Les cinq dernières années, la pratique de la CS à Lubumbashi (RDC) a connu une croissance de plus de 11% sans évolution de ses indications ni dividendes maternelles et périnatales.

Introduction

The frequency of cesarean section (CS) has been steadily growing over recent decades but this growth varies enormously from one country to another and in the same environment as well as from one medical institution to another. This study aims to investigate the frequency, the indications and the maternal and perinatal morbi-mortality in patients undergoing cesarean section (CS) in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, descriptive and analytic study of 3643 consecutive CS out of a total of 34199 deliveries in five hospital referral departments in Lubumbashi (DRC) between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. We analyzed sociodemographic data,indications, obstetrical environment and perinatal morbi-mortality using Epi Info 2011 software. We calculated the frequencies expressed as a percentage and the means expressed in terms of standard deviations. We used chi-square test and Fisher exact probability test, when recommended, for the comparison of the frequencies having a significance threshold of p<0.05.

Results

The mean frequency of CS was 10.65%. It rose from 10.24% in 2009 to 11.38% in 2013, corresponding to growth of 11,13% (p=0.03). 51.4% of CS were performed after attempting vaginal birth and 48.6% were performed in a context of obstetric emergency. Indications were constant and dominated by fetopelvic disproportion (18.6%), acute fetal distress (11.9%), fetal malpresentation (10.1%), placenta previa (9.2%) and narrowed basin (8.4%). Maternal morbidity rose to 11.6%, it was characterized by bleeding complications in 6.1%. Overall maternal mortality rose from 2.3‰ in 2009 to 6.4‰in 2013, corresponding to growth of 178,26%. Cesarean section rose from 4‰ to 16.7‰ in the last 4 years taken together, corresponding to growth of 317.5% (p=0.005) versus 2.1‰ to 2.8‰ (growth of 33.33%; p=0.296) for vaginal birth during the same period. Overall perinatal mortality rose to 56,04% in 2010 (p=0.0000) and 43.36% in 2013 (p=0.0000). With regard to CS, there was a reduction in perinatal mortality of 48,64% in the first three years after 2009 (59.4‰ versus 70.5‰; p=0,3278), this reduction was followed by an increase of 46,52% (p=0.026). Overall perinatal mortality wasn't significantly altered by changing dynamics in CS during these 5 years.

Conclusion

In the last five years, CS in Lubumbashi (DRC) experienced growth of more than 11% without neither indications changes nor maternal and perinatal dividends.

Correlation of Oxidative Stress Markers with Ultrasound and Cardiotocography Parameters with Hypertension Induced Pregnancy

Introduction:

Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), especially preeclampsia, is a state of extremely increased oxidative stress (OS), due to decrease of antioxidant capacity in comparison to normotensive pregnant women. The consequences of increased state of oxidative stress with hypertension disorder in pregnancy are disorder of placental blood flow, intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus and disturbance in transfer of O2 manifested as pathological ultrasound (US) parameters (amount of amniotic fluid and biophysical profile of fetus) and cardiotocography parameters (CTG).

Aim:

The aim of this research is to analyze correlation of TBARS oxidative stress markers with ultrasound parameters of pregnancy course and cardiotocography parameters in pregnant women with PIH.

Patients and methods:

Research has been performed at the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska. It covered 200 pregnant women, 100 of them with PIH and 100 healthy pregnant women, at gestational age from 28 to 40 weeks. All pregnant women were analyzed for US parameters of pregnancy course and CTG records as well as oxidative stress biomarker, values of Thiobarbituric Acid (TBARS).

Results:

Pregnant women with PIH had high statistical significant (pre)pathological CTG records and US- biophysical profile, less amount of amniotic fluid and delivered in lower gestation compared to healthy pregnant women. TBARS high values are statistical high significant frequent with pregnant women with PIH, who had pathological and pre-pathological biophysical profile and CTG records, as well as with US less amount of amniotic fluid (p<0.01). The highest TBARS values were presented with PIH pregnant women and US of less amount of amniotic fluid 42.3 µmol.

Conclusion:

There is statistical strong connection between TBARS values, being used as oxidative stress markers, and diagnostic methods used in PIH diagnostics, ultrasound (amount of amniotic fluid, fetus biophysical profile) and cardiotocography recording. TBARS could also be significant in clinical application for assessment of pregnant women with PIH in order to make decisions on pregnancy termination period.