Trends of Hospital Discharge after Uncomplicated Caeserean Section in South-Eastern Nigeria Tertiary Hospitals

Anozie O.B^{1, 2,} , Asiegbu O.G¹, Esike C.U^{1, 2}, Ekwedigwe K.C.^{1, 2}, Agbata A.T.^{1, 2}, Ukaegbe C.I.^{1, 2}, Nwafor J.I.¹ and Mba U.E¹

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

²Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Cite this paper

Anozie O.B, Asiegbu O.G, Esike C.U, Ekwedigwe K.C., Agbata A.T., Ukaegbe C.I., Nwafor J.I. and Mba U.E. Trends of Hospital Discharge after Uncomplicated Caeserean Section in South-Eastern Nigeria Tertiary Hospitals. American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2018; 6(3):53-57. doi: 10.12691/AJCMR-6-3-1

Abstract

Background: Obstetric delivery is the most frequent cause of hospital admission and the length of stay in hospital after birth varies from one country to another and from one maternity unit to another, depending on economic factors, attitudes to childbirth and traditions in obstetric care. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the trends and determinants of hospital discharge following uncomplicated caesarean section in South-Eastern Nigeria tertiary hospitals. Methodology: It is a cross-sectional questionnaire based study. The study population comprises Gynaecologists and Obstetricians practicing in tertiary hospitals in south eastern Nigeria. The study was carried out among obstetricians-Gynaecologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) and those who attended the Eastern sector zonal meeting of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) held on 9^TH September 2017 in Enugu coal-city, Enugu State, Nigeria. Results: The study included 286 participants. The study showed that few (16.7%) of the patients had early discharge and late hospital discharge accounted for 83.3%. The determinants of early hospital discharge were cost of treatment (11.8%), obstetricians personal preferences (10.8%), lack of bed space (4.9%) and patient choice (4.9%). Hospital policy (36.3%) and fear of readmission for maternal or neonatal complications (59.8%) are major reasons for late hospital discharge following uncomplicated caesarean section.

Keywords

hospital discharge, uncomplicated caeserean-section, obstetricians-gynaecologist, South Eastern Nigeria

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

[1]	Marimuthu K, Loganathan M. Comparing the Outcome of Patients discharged in Early Postoperative Period, with Patients Discharged at Late Postoperative Period in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2017; 6(7): 3054-3057.
[2]	Leung KM, ElashoffJ RM, Rees KS,Hasan MM, Legorreta AP. Hospital- and Patient-Related Characteristics Determining Maternity Length of Stay: A Hierarchical Linear Model Approach. Am J Public Health, 1998; 88: 377-381.
[3]	Waldenstrom U, Sundelin C, Lindrnark G. Early and Late Discharge after Hospital Birth. Health of Mother and Infant in the Postpartum Period. Upsala J Med Sci, 1987; 92: 301-314.
[4]	American Academy of Pediatrics/AmericanCollege of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Guidelines for Perinatal Care. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 1992.
[5]	Petrou S, Boulvain M, Simon J, Maricot P, Borst F, Perneger T, et al. Home-based Care after a Shortened Hospital Stay Versus Hospital-based Care Postpartum: An Economic Evaluation.
[6]	Scott A. A Cost Analysis of Early Discharge and Domiciliary Visits Versus Standard Hospital Care for Low-risk Obstetric Clients. Aust J Public Healfh 1994; 18: 96-100.
[7]	Strong TH, Brown Jr WL, Brown WL, Curry CM. Experience with Early Postcaesarean Hospital Dismissal. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1993; 169: 116-119.
[8]	Carty EM, Bradley CF. A Randomized Controlled Evaluation of Early Postpartum Hospital Discharge. Birth, 1990; 17(4): 199-204.
[9]	Gagnon AJ, Edgar L, Kramer MS, Papageorgiou A, Waghorn K, Klein MC. A Randomized Trial of a Program of Early Postpartum Discharge with Nurse Visitation. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1997; 176: 205-211.
[10]	Brooten D, Brown LP, Munro BH, York R, Cohen SM, Roncoli M, et al. Early Discharge and Specialist Transitional Care. 1988; 20(2): 64-68.
[11]	Smith-Hanrahan C, Deblois D. Postpartum Early Discharge: Impact on Maternal fatique and functional Ability. Clinical Nursing Res, 1995; 4: 50-66.
[12]	Grullon KE, Grimes DA. The Safety of Early Postpartum Discharge: A Review and Critique. Obstet Gynecol, 1997; 90(5): 860-865.
[13]	Norr KF, Nacion K. Outcomes of Postpartum Early Discharge, 1960-1986 A Comparative Review. Birth, 1987; 14(3): 135-141.
[14]	Norr KF, Nacion KW, Abramson R. Early Discharge with Home Follow-up: Impacts on Low-income Mothers and Infants. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nursing, 1989; 18(2): 133-141.
[15]	Shorten A. Obstetric Early Discharge Versus Traditional Hospital Stay. Australian Health Review, 1995, 18(2): 19.
[16]	Brumfield CG, Sheffield JS, Hauth J, DuBard M, Shannon S. 72-hour Discharge after Caesarean Delivery: Results in a Selected Population. J Maternal-fetal Med, 1998; 7(2): 72-75.
[17]	Lieu TA, Braveman PA, Escobar GJ, Fischer AF, Jensvold NG, Capra AM. A Randomized Comparison of Home and Clinic Follow-up Visits after Postpartum Hospital Discharge. Pediatrics, 2000; 105(5): 1058-1065.
[18]	Avery MD, Fournier LC, Jones PL, Sipovic CP. An Early Postpartum Hospital Discharge Program Implementation and Evaluation. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nursing, 1982; 11(4): 233-235.