Background:Ruptured uterus is a major life-threatening condition encountered mostly in developing countries and is an index of failure of obstetric care at a point in time in a woman's reproductive career. With worsening economic condition, increasing caesarean section rates, and patients’ aversion for operative delivery this condition would still remain a major obstetric matter for discussion.Objective:To identify the incidence, sociodemographic variables, clinical characteristics, causes, and outcome of ruptured uterus at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.Materials and Methods:A 5-year retrospective study of cases of ruptured uterus at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital was carried out. The case notes of 40 patients with uterine rupture during the period 2003-2007 were analyzed. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, etiologic factors, clinical presentation, and outcome. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel version 2007 and SPSS 14.0 computer software.Results:The incidence of rupture of the gravid uterus was 1:258 deliveries. In patients with rupture of the gravid uterus, 65% (26) of patients were unbooked; 37.5% (15) were aged between 25 and 29 years. A total of 42.5% (17) of patients had secondary education and 21 (52.5%) were housewives. Rupture of a previous scar was the commonest etiologic factor accounting for 32.5% (11). The commonest presentation was abdominal pain in 92.5% of cases. Perinatal mortality and maternal mortality were 80% and 17.5% respectively.Conclusion:Rupture of the gravid uterus still remains a major cause of maternal mortality. Injudicious use of oxytocics should be discouraged in peripheral health facilities and reinforcement of the need for hospital based deliveries in patients with previous caesarean sections should also be intensified to improve outcome.

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease of the respiratory system that is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on the 11th of March, 2020. Objective: To assess the reasons behind the low turnout of health workers (other than doctors) for COVID-19 vaccination in the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa between 1st and 23rd April, 2021. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 182 health workers (excluding doctors) from all departments/units in the hospital. The data were collected with a predesigned questionnaire, and were analysed using IBM SPSS 23.0 version. Results: About three-quarter were females (74.7%), and close to half were aged ≤35 years (47.8%). The respondents were Nurses, Pharmacists, Medical laboratory scientists, and Non-clinical officers. Only 27.4% took the vaccine. Most of those who refused the vaccine did so because they wanted to see what would happen to those who received the vaccine (70.5%). Others felt the vaccine has not gone through enough clinical trials (62.1%). Conclusion: In this study, there was very poor turnout of health workers for COVID-19 vaccination. The factors that influenced acceptance of the vaccine were mainly COVID-19 related features. These findings suggest that people who have had personal experiences with the disease have a better understanding of the gravity of the situation, and hence are more likely to accept vaccination against the disease.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was said to have emerged from a livestock market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The objective of this study was to determine the predictors and willingness of patients to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.Methods: This survey was carried out at the federal medical centre, Yenagoa between 4t January and 15 February 2021. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 1,000 consecutive patients that presented to the various out-patients departments of the hospital. Written informed consent was obtained. Data collected with a predesigned questionnaire were analysed using statistical software (SPSS for windows® version 23, SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA).Results: Out of 1,000 participants, only 246 (24.6%) were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. About 2 in every 5 participants were unwilling to take the vaccine due to trust issues. Lack of trust in the manufacturers and government were the reasons given by 43.4% and 41.8% of participants, respectively. All sociodemographic factors were significant predictors of willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine. The male participants (OR=2.34; p=001) were 2 times more willing than women to receive COVID-19 vaccine.Conclusions: The willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccine is low here. The highest predictor of willingness to accept the vaccine was the male gender and this is quite significant in our environment where decision-making in the family lies mostly on the man.

Background: Caesarean section is the delivery of the foetus, placenta, and foetal membranes through an incision on the abdominal and uterine walls after the age of foetal viability. It is a life-saving surgical procedure, which has helped reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality over the years. Objective: To determine the rates, indications, outcomes, and complications of Caesarean section at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This research was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, South-South, Nigeria between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2020. It was a retrospective study. Data was retrieved from the labour ward records, delivery register, theatre records, and patients’ folders during the period under review, and entered into a pre-designed proforma. Data were analysed with IBM SPSS version 23.0. Results were presented in frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and mean and standard deviation for continuous variables. Results: About 959 women had Caesarean section (CS) out of 2,263 deliveries, giving a Caesarean section rate of 42.4%. The commonest indication for emergency Caesarean section was cephalopelvic disproportion (36.0%), while that for elective Caesarean section was repeat Caesarean section (19.6%). Conclusion: The Caesarean section rate in our Centre is extremely high, almost three times the acceptable upper limit set by the WHO. Encouraging vaginal birth after Caesarean section as a means to reduce this high rate is recommended as it was noted that previous Caesarean section was a leading indication for surgeries.

Background: Side effect following vaccination usually ranges from mild to moderate and occasionally severe in a small proportion of people. Covid-19 vaccine is no exception as side effects have been reported which are mostly mild to moderate and transient. The chances of any of these side effect following vaccination differ according to the specific COVID-19 vaccine. Objective: To determine the side effect profile of the Health workers that received the COVID-19 vaccination in the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Materials and Method: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was carried out between 15th and 30th April 2021 among 151 health workers that received COVID-19 vaccination in the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The data were collected with a predesigned questionnaire and were analysed using IBM SPSS 23.0 version. Results: About 52.3% were female health workers, 49.0% were aged between 36–45 years. Side effects were reported in 9 of every 10 health workers who received the vaccine. Most side effects (53.0%) started on the day of vaccination. The most common side effect was pain at the injection site, and it was reported by 104 recipients of the vaccine (68.9%). Fever, headache, tiredness and chills were reported in 57.0%, 49.0%, 47.7% and 43.7%, respectively. Conclusion: As with medications and other vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines have side effects. Protective immunity against COVID-19 is developed following vaccination. In the face of a still rapidly evolving situation, what seems obvious is that vaccination currently remains the best route to achieving herd immunity.