Management and outcomes of uterine rupture at a tertiary institution in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Background: High maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality are associated with uterine rupture, a preventable grave obstetric emergency. The study determined the management options, maternal and fetal outcomes of uterine rupture at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH). 

Methods: A retrospective hospital-based study of 67 women with uterine rupture managed from 1^st January, 2016 to 31^st December, 2020 at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. A structured proforma was designed and used to extract data from operating theatre registers and the hospital medical records. Data was entered and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) IBM version 25.0 (Armonk, NY).   

Results: A total number of 7,685 deliveries were conducted in the hospital. Of this, 67 women were managed for uterine rupture giving a prevalence rate of 0.87% (1 in 115 deliveries). More than two-thirds of the women had intrauterine fetal deaths (IUFD). Forty-two (62.7%) women lost 1000-1500mls of blood and 88.1% were transfused with blood. There was no maternal death. Repair only of the uterine rupture was the most common surgical intervention.

Conclusion: The prevalence of uterine rupture was high. There was also a high fetal wastage. Majority of the women lost more than 1L of blood and had need for blood transfusion. Most women had uterine repair alone. There is need for more education and awareness of uterine rupture and its prevention.