Ectopic Pregnancy in a Referral Hospital in the Volta Region of Ghana West Africa

Type Journal Article - Open Access Library Journal
Title Ectopic Pregnancy in a Referral Hospital in the Volta Region of Ghana West Africa
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 09
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2016
URL http://file.scirp.org/pdf/OALibJ_2016090617042528.pdf
Abstract
Background: Ectopic pregnancy is still a global problem for women of reproductive
age with increasing burden of the disease and increasing mortality especially for
women living developing world like Africa. In Ghana studies evaluating the burden
of ectopic pregnancy have been conducted in major centres like Korle-Bu and KATH
but few in other centres. This study tends to evaluate the prevalence, clinical presentation
and finding of ectopic pregnancy in a referral hospital in the Volta region of
Ghana. Methodology: This was a 3 years (2013-2016) retrospective review of all gynaecological
admission in the Volta regional hospital. All ectopic pregnancy cases/
record were identified, retrieved and information on the socio-demographics, clinical
presentations, intraoperative findings and outcome of surgery were all extracted for
analysis. Result: A prevalence of 2.05% (53/2582) was recorded over the study period.
58.5% (31/53) of the women were married and between the age group of 21 -
30. 47.2% (25/53) had primary school education. Lower abdominal pain was common
in 98.1% (52//53), 69.2% (37/53) had vaginal bleeding while 96.4% (51/53). Fallopian
tube pregnancy was seen in 96.2% (51/53) while 3.8% (2/53) were abdominal
pregnancy. Tubal rupture and heamoperitoneum were seen in 73.6% (39/53) of the
women. 78.4% (40/51) of the fallopian tube pregnancy occurred at the ampulla. All
the women in this study were successfully managed with radical surgery. Conclusion:
There is still the need to evaluate the prevalence of ectopic pregnancy in the region.
Proper education of women of reproductive age and provision of equipment
and skills to enable early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy is very necessary in ensuring
less radical and traumatic management with less implication on fertility of women
post-surgery.

Related studies

»