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Deliveries at a district hospital in Rwanda, 1997–2000
Author(s) -
Rahlenbeck S,
Hakizimana C
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/s0020-7292(01)00564-1
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , obstetrics , hospital records , population , pregnancy , perinatal mortality , district hospital , uterine rupture , pediatrics , emergency medicine , fetus , surgery , environmental health , family medicine , uterus , biology , genetics
Objectives: To obtain data on pregnancy outcomes and maternal mortality at a district hospital in Rwanda. Methods: All delivery records from January 1997 to December 2000 were reviewed. Results: Over the 4‐year period, 3408 women delivered a total of 3497 neonates, and 349 stillbirths (10%) occurred. The mean birthweight (twins excluded) was 3097 g and decreased significantly from 3160 g in 1997 to 3043 g in 2000. The prevalence of low birthweight was 12.5%. The mean age of women was 26.2 years. Cesarean section was done in 26% of deliveries at the hospital, equaling a cesarean section rate of 1.1% in the population. Nineteen maternal deaths occurred, yielding a (hospital) maternal mortality rate of 600 per 100 000 live births. Uterine rupture occurred in 52 women, of whom six died (11.5%). Conclusions: Efforts to educate women at risk to deliver at a health center, and early referral of women to the hospital should be reinforced. The reduction of mean birthweight is of concern and reasons for this need to be analyzed.