Experience of Emergency Peripartum Hysterectomies at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Quetta, Pakistan

Emergency peripartum hysterectomy (EPH) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The purpose of our paper was to determine the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of EPH done at our institution; the largest tertiary care government hospital in the city of Quetta, Pakistan. During the study period there were 12,642 deliveries, out of which 46 women had undergone an EPH, translating into an incidence of ∼ 4 per 1,000 births. Disturbingly, 82.6% of these patients had received no antenatal care prior to their presentation. There were 4 (8.7%) maternal deaths and 31 (67.4%) perinatal deaths. The commonest indication noted was uterine rupture in 21 (45.7%) cases. Lack of antenatal care is indeed a modifiable factor that needs to be addressed to help reduce maternal and fetal morbidity/mortality not only from emergency hysterectomies but also from all other preventable causes.