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Lower cadres of primary health care workers can be effectively trained to use the partogram with satisfactory results, and thus contribute towards improved maternal outcomes in developing countries with scarcity of skilled attendants.

The study concluded that wheat flour mill workers in Nigeria, like grain workers elsewhere, were at an increased risk of developing both pulmonary and non-pulmonary symptoms compared with control subjects. The result has implications for improved dust control measures in the grain industry in Nigeria.

The health impact of exposure to sawdusts on 59 sawmill workers from southwest Nigeria was studied. Workers were chosen by a two-stage random sampling method from 15 privately owned sawmills. Peak flow and spirometric measurements were obtained from all workers. They also underwent a structured questionnaire which elicited occupationally related symptoms. Age and sex matched controls consisting of 199 workers from similar socio-economic backgrounds as the subjects underwent similar questionnaire and lung function tests. Results showed a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms, principally cough, chest pain and sputum production, among the workers. Most of the workers also had high prevalence of conjunctivitis, skin irritation and hearing difficulties when compared with controls. Pulmonary function parameters were also significantly lower (p < 0.05 in sawmill workers than controls). Although a large number (94.9%) of the workers were aware of the potential hazards of exposure to sawdusts, less than 20% wore protective masks. Our study highlights the need for health and safety regulation in the workplace. There is also a need for improved methods of dust control in factories with high levels of dust particulates, particularly in the developing world.

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The study concluded that wheat flour-mill workers in Nigeria are at an increased risk of developing abnormalities of lung functions compared with control subjects, and the dominant pattern of respiratory disease among them is airway obstruction.

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 134 antenatal clinic attendees in a Nigerian tertiary hospital to assess pregnancy-related sexual beliefs and changes in sexual frequency and response. Information was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire, and analysed by SPSS. Only 15% of women believed that religious, social or cultural reasons prevented sexual intercourse in pregnancy. Frequency of sexual intercourse decreased in pregnancy in 37.4% of the respondents, remained unaltered in 46.1% and increased in 16.5%. Age, marriage duration and gestational age were not associated with change in the pattern of coital frequency in pregnancy, but education was significantly associated. Sexual responsiveness diminished in approximately half of our respondents in terms of arousal (54.5%), orgasm (48.5%), pleasure (43.7%) and satisfaction (51.4%). The changes were not associated with pregnancy duration. We concluded that sex in pregnancy is well accepted in our environment, and health workers should promote sexual health and well-being in pregnancy.