Cross-sectional study on the obstetric performance of primigravidae in a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: A woman carrying her first pregnancy is starting a new life, and this is a crucial time in her obstetric career. This study was aimed to compare the obstetric performance of primigravidae to that of the multigravidae with a view to suggesting ways of preventing the associated complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional case-control study carried out among women who delivered in the study center over a year period. Relevant data of primigravid parturients who delivered in the hospital were retrieved from the labor ward register, and an equal number of multigravidae who delivered during the same study were selected by simple random sampling as the control group. RESULTS: Primigravidae constituted 15.3% of the total number of parturients seen during the study period. The age range of the primigravidae was 20–48 years and with a mean age of 28.24 ± 4.28 years. The obstetric complications seen in statistically significant proportion among the primigravidae case group include hypertensive disorder (P = 0.048), prolonged pregnancy (P = 0.039), prolonged labor (P = 0.006), oxytocin augmentation (P = 0.022), cephalopelvic disproportion (P = 0.001), obstructed labor (P = 0.008), instrumental delivery (P = 0.035), cesarean delivery rates (P = 0.011), and increased neonatal unit admission rate (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Primigravidity is a high-risk pregnancy with several associated obstetric complications. Primigravidae should, therefore, be managed by specialists in well-equipped hospitals that will provide comprehensive antenatal and intrapartum care which will eventually result in a satisfactory obstetric outcome.