African journal of reproductive health
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Afr J Reprod Health · Dec 2005
An assessment of the clinical utility of routine antenatal screening of pregnant women at first clinic attendance for haemoglobin genotypes, haematocrit, ABO and Rh blood groups in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
This prospective study was designed to provide the frequencies of the haemoglobin genotypes, ABO and Rh blood groups and their effects on the haematocrit values among pregnant women in Port Harcourt. One hundred and eighty (180) pregnant women at their first clinic attendance and in their first pregnancy (parity - 0) participated in this study. The overall frequencies obtained for ABO and Rh blood groups were: 26.67% for group A, 18.33% for B, 2.22% for AB and 52.78% for O. ⋯ On the other hand, haemoglobin genotypes were found to exert significant effects on the haematocrit values (F = 8.01, P = 0.0005). No significant relationship was found to exist between age and the haematocrit values. (F = 0.91, P > 0.05). Since pregnancy in sickle cell disease is associated with morbidity, proper antenatal monitoring and counselling will be necessary to prevent fatal outcomes.
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Afr J Reprod Health · Dec 2005
Women's perceptions of pain and discomfort after childbirth in Angola.
Prophylactic treatment against postpartum haemorrhage is a widely investigated area and injection of Oxytocics has been considered as the best choice. The occurrence of postpartum pain and discomfort was studied in a population of birthing women in an overcrowded labour ward in Angola where the oxytocin-filled device Uniject was used. ⋯ The birthing women were, by and large, satisfied with the care and treatment provided, but the encounters with midwives seem to vary in quality. Further investigation is needed to elucidate parturient women's experience of postpartum pain and their perceptions of the quality of care and treatment.