title: Pregnancy outcome following non-obstetric abdominal surgery in Jos University Teaching Hospital: A 5-year retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need for nonobstetric abdominal surgical interventions in pregnant females arises periodically in practice and can be a source for concern for both the patient and the surgeon because of the risk of adverse outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the indications for, and assess maternal and fetal outcome following nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in Jos University Teaching Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cross-sectional study analyzing clinical records of pregnant women, who had nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in Jos University Teaching Hospital between January 2007 and December 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients had nonobstetric abdominal surgery during the study period (January 2007 to December 2011). The ages of the women ranged 15-49 years with a mean of 29 ± 8.13 years. Intraoperative findings in the patients were consistent with acute appendicitis in 43 (86%) patients, two patients (4%) had ruptured spleen while one patient each (2.0%) had a transverse colon injury, postoperative adhesion bands, ruptured uterus and urinary bladder, and mesenteric injury. One (2.0%) mother died after surgery. 38 (76%) had spontaneous deliveries, and there were 11 miscarriages (22%) and 1 perinatal death. The perinatal mortality rate was 0.093/1000 deliveries. The mean hospital stay was 5.52 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in pregnant women are an infrequent occurrence at Jos University Teaching Hospital but when they do occur, they are indicated by acute appendicitis in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria.
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Shambe
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dikkol
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ozoilo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult