Post Caesarean section infective morbidity in HIV-positive women at a tertiary training hospital in Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the infective morbidity in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women whose babies were delivered by Caesarean section.


METHODS
A hospital based, prospective study: part of a larger operational research project.


METHODS
Harare Maternity Hospital, a tertiary referral teaching hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe.


METHODS
164 HIV-positive and 382 HIV-negative women who were delivered of their babies by Caesarean sections.


METHODS
Minor and major infective complications.


RESULTS
The results compare HIV-positive and HIV-negative women, 18/164 (10.9%) HIV-positive women developed anaemia requiring blood transfusion compared with 15/382 (3.9%) HIV-negative women. The difference was statistically significant (RR 3.05). HIV-positive women had a statistically significant increase in the incidence of post operative fever (RR 1.3) and wound sepsis/sinus (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study indicates that HIV-positive women who were given prophylactic pre-operative antibiotics were at an increased risk of minor infective complications and blood transfusion post Caesarean section. The risk of blood transfusion was higher in women who had a pre-operative haemoglobin of 10.5 grams/dl. Post operative fever, wound sepsis and wound sinus was commoner in HIV-positive when compared to HIV-negative women.
Zvandasara
P
P
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Univervsity of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences, PO Box A178, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Saungweme
G
G
Mlambo
J T
JT
Moyo
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015497:HIV-1; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology