Factors Influencing Puerperal Sepsis Among Mothers in Mityana Hospital.

Abstract

Introduction: Postnatal infections are the leading cause of nosocomial infection and maternal morbidity and mortality. At Mityana general hospital, about 150 mothers delivered per month and with about 9.8% mothers' comeback with puerperal sepsis/fever presenting with lower abdominal pain, tender uterus, sub involution of the uterus, purulent and foul smelling lochia (Hospital monthly report, December 2013). It is from this background that the researcher decided to carry out a study and compare with what other scholars had found concerning puerperal sepsis. General Objective: The main objective of the study is to identify key factors influencing puerperal sepsis among mothers in Mityana general hospital. Methodology: A hospital based case control study was done in which there were mothers with sepsis and those without sepsis. Results: The researcher found out that age of the mothers (P=0.000, CI=95%), level of education of the mothers (P=0.004, CI=95%), daily expenditure (P=0.003, CI=95%) and parity (P=0.005, CI=95%) had statistical significant relation with puerperal sepsis occurrence while the other socio-demographic factors had no statistical significant relationship. History of cesarean section (P=0.004, CI=95%), the labour was unnecessarily prolonged (P=0.001, CI=95%), frequency of vaginal examination during labour (P=0.000, CI=95%), place of delivery (P=0.000, CI=95%) and type of delivery (P=0.004, CI=95%) had statistical association with puerperal sepsis occurrence while the other obstetric factors had no statistical significant relationship. The hemoglobin level of mothers during antenatal, which group mothers to be anaemic or not (P=0.00, CI=95%) had a statistical association with the puerperal sepsis, while the others co-morbid factors shown no relationship. Conclusion: The researcher revealed that puerperal sepsis at Mityana general hospital was associated with history of cesarean section, the labour was unnecessarily prolonged, frequency of vaginal examination during labour, place of delivery and type of delivery, hemoglobin level of the mothers during antenatal which grouped the mothers either to be anaemic or not.