National Maternity Hospital : Clinical report for the year 1997

Abstract

The trend of previous years continued with a further increase in deliveries compared to 1996. There were 7682 babies delivered during the year. There has been a 46% increase in primigravidae and an 8% increase in multiparous women delivering at the hospital over the past 7 years. Most of this increase has taken place in the last 3 years. The increase in primigravidae is reflected in their changed portion of the total hospital population . Primjgravidae now make-up 45% of all women delivering at the hospital where as in 1991 they made-up 38%. The changing proportions of primigravidae are partly responsible for the increased incidence of Caesarean Section, from 9% in 1991 to 10.8% in 1997. The other major change in hospital practice has been the increase of epidural anaesthesia which grew from 18% of a1l women in 1991 to 49% in 1997. These changes in practice have strained hospital resources to the limit.