Abstract
National standards for the identification and management of obstetric emergencies have been established in Malawi. This study was conducted to determine the level of compliance with national standards and protocols. A cross-sectional descriptive prospective study was conducted. A total of 799 deliveries occurred during the observation period. Management of 42 women who experienced emergency obstetric complications was observed. Emergency complications observed included 12 with eclampsia/pre-eclampsia, 11 cases of postpartum hemorrhage, 8 cases of obstructed labour, 6 cases of ruptured uterus and 5 women with puerperal sepsis. Nine patients died secondary to obstetric emergencies. This study revealed inconsistent and poor compliance with national standards for management of pre-eclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Compliance rates ranged from 0–67% for management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and 9–81% for management of postpartum hemorrhage. This study reveals that there is need for stricter adherence to national standards.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
