Abstract: Background: Caesarean delivery is a necessary tool in the management of obstetric patients when indicated. However, there is general apprehension about the increasing proportion of births by caesarean section (CS) across the globe.
Objectives: To ascertain the CS rate (CSR), the indications and the outcomes of caesarean delivery in the hospital.
Methodology: The obstetric and theatre records of all caesarean deliveries at Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Otuoke outreach, South-South Nigeria, between January 2017 and December 2021 were assessed retrospectively. Generated data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.
Results:There were 770 deliveries, out of which 104 were caesarean deliveries, giving a CSR of 13.5%. The majority, 71 (68.3%) of the patients had emergency caesarean delivery while 33 (31.7%) had an elective caesarean delivery. The commonest indication for caesarean delivery was cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) (27.9%) followed by previous CS and breech in primigravida (17.3% and 7.7% respectively). The majority of the patients, 58 (55.8%) were booked while 46 (44.2%) were unbooked. The commonest morbidity encountered was anaemia which complicated 21.1% of cases. There was one maternal death and six perinatal deaths giving maternal and perinatal mortality rates of 960/100,000 and 49/1000 respectively.
Conclusion: The caesarean section rate was within the limits laid down by the World Health Organization. CPD was the chief indication for CS followed by repeat CS and breech in primigravida. Efforts to maintain the CS rate, within acceptable limits, as noted in this study, should be continued.
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