title: Emergency peripartum hysterectomy in a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emergency peripartum hysterectomy, a maker of severe maternal morbidity and near miss mortality is an inevitable surgical intervention to save a woman's life when uncontrollable obstetric haemorrhage complicates delivery. This study was conducted in order to determine the incidence, types, indications and maternal complications of emergency peripartum hysterectomy at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case records of all women who underwent emergency peripartum hysterectomy between 1(st) January 2004 and 31(st) December 2011 were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 12,298 deliveries during the study period and 28 emergency peripartum hysterectomies were performed resulting in a rate of 0.2% or 1 in 439 deliveries. The modal age group of the patients was 26-30 years (35.7%), majority were of low parity (64.4%), while 17.9% attained tertiary level education. Half of the patients (50.0%) were unbooked while 14.3% were antenatal clinic defaulters. Extensive uterine rupture (67.8%) was the most common indication for emergency hysterectomy distantly followed by uterine atony with uncontrollable haemorrhage (17.9%). Subtotal abdominal hysterectomy was performed in 92.8% of the cases. The case fatality rate was 14.3% while the perinatal mortality rate was 64.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emergency peripartum hysterectomy is not uncommonly performed in our centre and extensive uterine rupture from prolonged obstructed labour is the most common indication. In addition, it is associated with significant maternal and perinatal mortality. There is need to enlighten women in our communities on the benefits of ANC and hospital delivery as well as the dangers of delivering without skilled attendance. Government should consider enacting legislation to discourage people or organisations who operate unlicensed maternity homes in our environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Aniekan Monday
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abasiattai
authors.forename: Aniefiok Jackson
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Umoiyoho
authors.forename: Ntiense Maurice
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Utuk
authors.forename: Emmanuel Columba
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Inyang-Etoh
authors.forename: Otobong Peter
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Asuquo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D054238:Perinatal Mortality; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014593:Uterine Inertia / Q000601:surgery*; D014597:Uterine Rupture / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Emergency peripartum hysterectomy; Uyo; extensive uterine rupture; uncontrollable haemorrhage