title: A risk assessment for pregnancy using the World Health Organization classifying form in primary health-care facilities in Enugu, Nigeria.
abstract: We present a cross-sectional survey of the pattern of high-risk pregnancies in randomly selected primary health-care facilities in Enugu, Nigeria, using the World Health Organization's classifying form. None of the 10 maternity homes studied had a standard risk screening tool. The age of the 299 women studied ranged from 16 to 42 years with a mean of 27.8 +/- 6.7 years. Eighty-eight (29.4%) of them were nulliparous, 160 (53.5%) were multiparous and 51 (17.1%) grandmultiparous. One hundred and twenty (40.1%) respondents were in the high-risk category. Rhesus D-negative blood group parturients (42, 35.0%), previous perinatal deaths (29.2%) and multiple pregnancies (9.2%) were the most common risk factors. The prevalence of high-risk pregnancies significantly increased with maternal age and parity and was not influenced by an improved maternal educational attainment. The institution of screening for high-risk pregnancies is vital at the primary health-care level and must be emphasized and must be regularly audited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. uzoaniebue@yahoo.com
authors.forename: U U
authors.initials: UU
authors.lastname: Aniebue
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Aniebue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008423:Maternal Age; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization