FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH OBSTRUCTED LABOR AMONG POSTNATAL MOTHERS IN A POSTNATAL WARD AT SORROTI REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71020/jwhr.v2i3.29Keywords:
Postnatal Mothers, Obstructed labor, Postnatal ward, Soroti Regional Referral HospitalAbstract
Background.
At Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, the Health Management Information System report of 2022/2023 showed that 20% of the mothers who had had caesarean sections had obstructed labor, and this percentage slightly increased to 1% by 2023. Therefore, this study assessed factors associated with obstructed labour among postnatal mothers in the postnatal Ward at Sorroti Regional Referral Hospital.
Methodology.
A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods was used. A purposeful random sampling method was used to obtain 35 respondents. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016.
Results.
The majority, 15/35 (42.9%) of the respondents were aged 25 years and above, 27/35(77.1%) of the respondents were married, and 4/35 (40%) of the respondents had 1 child. 11/35 (31.4%) of the respondents were dragonized with an abnormal fetal lie, 20/35 (57.1%) of respondents who delivered from home reported fear of embarrassment, 13/35 (37.1%) delayed seeking health care because they went to Traditional Birth Attendants and 16/35 (45.7%) of the respondents had attended antenatal clinic twice. The majority, 18/35 (51.4%), of the respondents went to the hospital after 12 hours of the onset of labor, 11/35 (31.4%) reported having had fetal malposition, and 18/35 (51.4%) reported a distance of more than 16 km from the health facility.
Conclusion
The following factors were associated with obstructed labor among mothers: Fetal malposition and malpresentation, Long distances from the hospital, Maternal age, prolonged labor, and inadequate ANC attendance.
Recommendations.
The obstetricians should promote awareness to the general public about the causes of obstructed labor and other maternal complications to reduce maternal and child deaths and, hence, improve their well-being.
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