Authors: Prince Ezenwa Ndubueze Onyemachi.
Background: Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are leading causes of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries even though majority of these deaths are due to preventable causes; consequently, improving maternal health is one of the Millennium Development Goals with a target of 75% reduction in maternal deaths by 2015.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of obstetric complications in both orthodox and un-orthodox health care in Osisioma-Ngwa LGA., Abia state, Nigeria.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in Osisioma-Ngwa LGA,Abia State, among 431 women of child bearing age selected using systemic sampling method. Data were collected using a self- administered questionnaire; data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.
Result: Out of the 431 participants in the study, there was 384 (90%) response rate, 178 (46.40%) had Ante-natal Care (ANC) in non-orthodox centers, whereas 206 (53.60%) had ANC in orthodox centers. One hundred and twenty-one (31.50%) delivered their babies outside a hospital setting and 263 (68.50%) had their babies in orthodox setting. Out of 92 (24.40%) of those who had problem during pregnancy, 51 (55.43%) of them had ANC outside a hospital setting while 41 (44.57%) used the hospital ANC. These problems were hypertension 22 (23.91%) and bleeding 70 (76.09%). Also, out of 231 (60.20%) of those who had problem during delivery or immediately after, 119 (51.52%) delivered outside a hospital setting. Prevalence of complication is 13.28% from non-orthodox centres against 10.68% from orthodox centres. The major problems included; bleeding per vaginum 120 (31.25%), failure to progress in labor 53 (13.80%), fever 51 (13.28%).
Conclusion: The findings in this study suggest the importance of strengthening maternal and child health policies in the state. The prevalence of obstetric complications is higher with the patronage of non-orthodox obstetric care facilities.