Puerperal sepsis: Microbacterial isolates, sensitivity and maternal outcome at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nigeria

Puerperal sepsis, an infection of the genital tract following childbirth is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. It is the third leading cause of direct maternal mortality in developing nations.This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of puerperal sepsis, socio-demographic characteristics, organisms and sensitivity pattern as well as morbidity and mortality associated with puerperal sepsis at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Nigeria.It was a descriptive cross sectional study. There were 2375 deliveries during the study period under which there were 33 cases of puerperal sepsis. This gave a prevalence of 1.4%. The modal parity was 1 and 69.7% of the women had no antenatal care. Fever (33%) was the most common presenting complaint. Majority (63.6%) of the patients delivered at home. About 93.9% of the patients had spontaneous vaginal delivery while 6.1% had caesarean sections. Only 1 (3%) of the client lost her baby. The most common organism cultured was Escherichia coli (24.2%). The organisms isolated were most sensitive to Ceftriaxone (57.2%). Anaemia (11.9%) was the most common complication among the patients. There was no maternal mortality. The prevalence of puerperal sepsis in this study was low, compared with the incidence in other centres in Nigeria. Most of the women were unbooked and primiparous. Majority of the women did not have any complication. Culture and sensitivity of causative organisms is needed for individualized treatment. There was no maternal mortality during the study period.