High rate of uterine rupture in a conflict setting of Hajjah, Yemen

Abstract

A descriptive study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology and the outcome of uterine rupture at Hajjah Hospital, Yemen, during September 2014–August 2016. There were 110 cases of ruptured uterus and 3457 deliveries (31.8 per 1000 delivery). The majority (82, 74.5%) of these patients were illiterate. One hundred and four (96.3%) of them had no antenatal care. Seventy-eight of these women (70.9%) delivered at home and 32 (29.1%) delivered at hospital. Out of these 110 cases, 74 (67.3%) and 36 (32.7%) had unscarred uterus and scarred uterus, respectively. The causes of ruptured uterus were as follows: obstructed labour 59 (53.6%), previous caesarean delivery 36 (32.7%), use of oxytocin 10 (9.1%) and misoprostol 5 (4.6%). Hysterectomy was carried out in 50 (45.4%) %), repair in 39 (35.4%), repair with tubal ligation in 18 (16.4%) patients and 3 (2.7%) patients died before operation. There was 8 (7.2%) and 101 (91.8%) maternal and perinatal mortality, respectively. Nineteen (17.3%), 6 (5.4%) and 2 (1.8%) women developed sepsis, had urinary bladder injury and developed vesicovaginal fistulae, respectively.

Keywords:

• Ruptured uterus
• maternal death
• delivery
• Yemen

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.