Fetal outcomes and their correlates following caesarian section in a rural setting in Ghana

• Published in: PloS one 2023-01, Vol.18 (10), p.e0293029
• Main Authors: Eugene Sackeya, Martin Muonibe Beru, Richard Nomo Angmortey, Douglas Aninng Opoku, Victoria Achiaa Boamah, Francis Appiah, Aliyu Mohammed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293029

BackgroundRegular evaluation of caesarean section (CS) is required due to their rising trend and outcomes. Many women recently opt for elective CS, even in resource-constrained settings. Data evaluating the outcomes of CS is however sparse. Hence, this study sought to determine the rate of fetal mortalities and their determinants following CS in the Tatale District Hospital of the Northern Region, Ghana.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was employed to analyze the medical records of 275 women who underwent CS from 2019 to 2021. Data were collected from the hospital's record of CS cases from 2019 to 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and Pearson's chi-square/Fisher's exact test was used to examine the relationship between maternal and obstetric characteristics and fetal mortality. At a 95% confidence interval (95% CI), logistic regression was fitted to assess significant variables and reported the results using odds ratio.ResultsOf 1667 deliveries, 16.5% of the mothers gave birth by CS. A fetal mortality rate of 76.4 per 1000 total births was recorded following CS. Babies born with low Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration (APGAR) scores (0-3) at fifth-minute had an increased risk of fetal mortality (AOR  =  523.19, 95%CI: 49.24-5559.37, p  =