Instrumental vaginal delivery at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu: A 2 year review

Abstract

Objective: To document, analyse and compare the feto-maternal outcome in ventouse extraction and forceps delivery at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of records of all cases of vacuum extraction and forceps delivery over a two year period (January 1990 -December 1991) was undertaken. Result: There were 146 cases of both vaccum and forceps deliveries among 4346 total births giving an overall instrumental vaginal delivery rate of 3.4% of total births. The incidence of ventouse extraction was 3.1% and that of forcep delivery was 0.3% of total births. The most common indication was prolonged second stage of labour 56.9%. Facial buising 36.4% and cephalohematoma 14.8% were the commonest complications for forceps delivery and ventouse extraction respectively. Conclusion: Instrumental vaginal delivery especially with ventouse is useful in modern obstetric practice and should be taught and practiced Continued improvement and analyses of those obstetric procedures may help in reducing the high caesarean section rate in Nigeria.

Keywords

• instrumental vaginal delivery
• indications
• utilization
• complications