Euzebus C Ezugwu

University of Nigeria | UNN · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

A BSTRACT Background Pre-eclampsia is a key trigger for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Current evidence suggests an association between dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Thus, the importance of evaluating some indices of atherosclerosis during pregnancy cannot be over-emphasized. Aim To evaluate the effect of some lipid profile i...

A BSTRACT Background In the past five years, observational evidence suggests that the rates and determinants of preterm birth may have changed due to the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and other humanitarian crises in our environment. Aim This study aimed to determine the incidence, associated factors, and outcomes of...

Background Anecdotal evidence suggests that placentas may be improperly disposed of due to the lack of knowledge of the best approaches. The reason women request for their placenta in Nigeria remains unclear. Aim The aim is to determine the knowledge and perceptions of doctors and nurses about the use of WHO guidelines for the safe disposal of hos...

Background and objectives No previous study has been conducted in Nigeria on the role of neutrophil elastase in predicting preterm birth. The present study aimed to determine the role of the neutrophil elastase test in predicting birth in women with preterm labor. Methods The present prospective cohort study recruited 83 pregnant women with preter...

Background Placenta praevia is one of the leading causes of obstetric haemorrhages and a major contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although low-lying placentae are common during routine midtrimester anomaly scans, the incidence of placenta praevia at term remains low, probably due to placenta migration. It is important to fol...

A BSTRACT Background Premature rupture of membrane (PROM), especially when preterm or prolonged is associated with an increased risk of chorioamnionitis with its attendant feto-maternal complications. Aim The study was aimed to determine the association of clinical signs of chorioamnionitis with histological chorioamnionitis and neonatal outcomes...

Introduction: Despite much emphasis on the reproductive health of women, maternal mortality is still high, especially in postnatal period. Objective: To assess the prevalence of postnatal care use and reasons for defaults among mothers attending the child immunization clinics in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative s...

Unintended pregnancies often times end in complications especially if it's unwanted. In this article we compared the prevalence at Urban and rural hospitals of Enugu State and indeed found a significant difference.

Background: Clinical medical students are exposed to COVID-19 infection, thus it is imperative to achieve a high COVID-19 vaccination rate among this group of people. Objective: To determine the level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and possible reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitance among medical students in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: A cross...

Background: Despite the enormous burden of antepartum hemorrhage (APH) due to placental previa, there are not much recent data on prevalence, outcomes, and predictors of this major obstetric condition in low-resource settings. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence, outcomes, and predictors of APH due to placenta p...

Background: Although circumcision in male neonates is one of the most common procedures performed in neonatal surgery, mothers' preferences concerning the aspects of circumcision are not well-known. Since mother is the likely parent to present child for circumcision, her preferences should be given adequate consideration. Objectives: The objecti...

Background: Stillbirth is a devastating pregnancy outcome, with resultant emotional and psychological trauma to the affected family. Objectives: We investigated the prevalence and probable causes of stillbirths in four tertiary hospitals in south-east Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A 5-year multicenter, retrospective descriptive study of all still...

School-based research presents ethical challenges, especially with respect to informed consent. The manner in which pupils and their parents respond to an invitation to participate in research is likely to depend on several factors, including the level of trust between them and the researchers. This paper describes our recruitment and consent proce...

Background Poor oral health in pregnancy can be associated with poor pregnancy outcome, however, dental consultation among pregnant women appears to be low. Methods This was a questionnaire-based study of 413 women who attended the antenatal clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu. The information obtained was...

Background: Infertility is a common gynecological problem in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. It tends to affect the sexual life of couples and may affect their quality of life. Objective: The study was aimed to assess the impact of infertility on the sexual life of women with infertility seeking care in Enugu, South-East Nigeria. Methods...

Background: Poor oral health in pregnancy can be associated with poor pregnancy outcome, however, dental consultation among pregnant women appears to be low. Results: Only 36 (8.7%) of the respondents had dental consultations in index pregnancy for complaints such as tooth ache and decay (66.7%) and pains and swelling of the gum (33.3%). The common...

Objective of the study: The study was aimed to determine barriers to modern contraceptive use among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital from 1st March to 31st May 2014. Materials and Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, relevant data were extracted. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi...

Introduction: Poor oral health status in pregnant women is known to be associated with poor outcomes in pregnancies. Despite this, the oral health status of pregnant women has been grossly overlooked during antenatal period. Aim: To determine the awareness and practices of oral health among pregnant women in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria. Materials a...

Background: Short inter-pregnancy interval (IPI) is a potential risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous reports from sub-Sahara Africa documented increasing incidence of short IPI but evidence is lacking in its effect on pregnancy outcome. Aim: The study aimed to determine the effect of short IPI on pregnancy outcome in Nigeria. Subjec...

Background: Short inter-pregnancy interval (IPI) is a potential risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Previous reports from sub-Sahara Africa documented increasing incidence of short IPI but evidence is lacking in its effect on pregnancy outcome. Aim: The study aimed to determine the effect of short IPI on pregnancy outcome in Nigeria. Su...

Cervical insufficiency is a recognised cause of third trimester miscarriage and spontaneous preterm births. It is one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Miscarriage and preterm deliveries due to cervical insufficiency can be prevented by cervical cerclage insertion. The study aimed to determine the time interval between elec...

Background Maternal near-misses, also known as severe acute maternal morbidity, have become globally recognized as an appropriate indicator of obstetric care. Women experiencing maternal near-misses are more in number than maternal deaths, and can provide more specific and detailed evidence, as the patient herself can be a leading source of useful...

Objective To determine the accuracy of a semi‐quantitative interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) vaginal secretion rapid test (Chorioquick) for detecting chorioamnionitis in women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Methods A prospective cohort study in five tertiary hospitals in Nigeria involved women with confirmed PROM at term and preterm PROM with or w...

Objective To assess the level of awareness, acceptance, and any identifiable barriers to the use of postpartum intrauterine devices (PPIUDs) among pregnant women receiving care in a low‐resource setting in Nigeria. Methods A pretested interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant data from all consenting pregnant women receivi...

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a major genetic disease with the greatest burden in sub-Saharan Africa. To try to help reduce this burden, some churches in Nigeria conduct premarital sickle cell hemoglobin screening and refuse to conduct weddings when both individuals are identified as carriers of sickle cell trait. Main body: This paper...

Objective To compare AmnioQuick Duo+ versus the placental α‐microglobulin‐1 (PAMG‐1) test for diagnosis of prolonged premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Methods A multicenter prospective cohort study included women with suspected PROM at six tertiary institutions in southern Nigeria between January 1 and December 31, 2015. The inclusion criteri...

ABSTRACT The study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of genital injuries among the female adolescents alleged to have been raped that presented at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) from January 1 2013 to August 31 2014. All of the adolescents alleged to have been raped that presented within the study period were studi...

Aim: To test whether Premaquick biomarkers were superior to modified Bishop score for preinduction cervical assessment at term. Methods: A multicenter, double-blind randomized clinical trial in 151 nulliparous, cephalic presenting and singleton pregnancies was conducted. The cervix was considered 'ripe' when at least two out of three Premaquick...

Objective Anonymous sperm donation is a common practice in Nigeria with its associated legal and ethical challenges. This study aimed to investigate infertile couples’ opinions about issues of sperm donor anonymity and to determine factors that might influence their preferences. Methods A cross-sectional, multicentered, questionnaire-based study w...

Objective: To determine the factors associated with perception of maternal death and the referral practices of traditional birth attendants in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of traditional birth attendants who attended a training workshop in Enugu held between March 15-18th 2014. Statistical analysis i...

Background: Cesarean delivery is an essential component of comprehensive emergency obstetric care, an intervention that saves the life of pregnant women. Although the cesarean section (C/S) rate varies from one region to the other, there is generally a rising trend in the C/S rate globally with its associated benefits and attendant challenges. Obje...

Abstract Background: Child rape is a public health problem globally, with severe reproductive health, social and psychological implication for the affected child. Objective: To determine the characteristics of the perpetrators of rape of the girl child as reported by victims at Enugu state University Teaching Hospital, (ESUTH) Parklane, Enugu. Meth...

Background Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional cause of anemia in pregnancy and is often responsible for puerperal anemia. Puerperal anemia can impair postpartum maternal and neonatal well-being. Objective To determine the effect of treatment of moderate puerperal iron-deficiency anemia using a single intravenous total-dose iron...

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine accuracy and response time of duo of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1)/alpha-fetoprotein (Amnioquick duo+) versus placental alpha-microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) in diagnosing premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Methods: A multicenter prospective study was conducted among women with fe...

Purpose To determine values of combinations of interleukin-6 (IL-6)/cervical native insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1)/total IGFBP-1 (Premaquick©) in predicting spontaneous deliveries and spontaneous exclusive preterm deliveries in women with threatened preterm labor. Methods Women with singleton pregnancies between gestation a...

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1/alpha fetoprotein (Amnioquick duo+®) compared with traditional clinical assessment (TCA) of nitrazine, ferning and pooling for the diagnosis of prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM). Methods: A double-blinded, multicenter clinical study was conducted bet...

Introduction: postpartum depression is an uncommon and frequently undocumented issue that impacts negatively on maternal and child health. Methods: the study was carried out among mothers who attended postpartum clinics from two teaching hospitals and three private hospitals all in Enugu metropolis. The instrument employed for data collection was...

Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among HIV-positive pregnant women in Enugu, southeast Nigeria. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was performed of HIV-positive pregnant women receiving prenatal care at two tertiary health institutions in Enugu between March 1 and August 31...

ABSTRACT Background: Universal Precaution is indispensable in preventing blood borne infections, therefore adequate knowledge and optimum practice should be ensured in our healthcare facilities. There is a need to periodically assess the level of this knowledge and practice amongst the health workers. This study, therefore, assessed the level of kn...

Background/objective: The aim of residency training is to produce competent and professional experts in their areas of specialty. Surgical proficiency is required to be able to offer patients a genuine choice of treatment options and safety of procedures performed. We assessed self-reported level of proficiency for common major gynaecological surg...

Risk factors for and survival of singleton preterm births may vary according to geographical locations because of socioeconomic differences and lifestyle. The aim was to describe maternal risk factors and survival-to-discharge rate for singleton preterm births at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and determine the relationship between mat...

To determine diagnostic performance of placental alpha-microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) test compared to conventional clinical assessment (CCA) in women with prolonged pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM). A double-blind study of women with symptoms and signs of PROM in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and University of Nigeria Teaching...

Background Interdisciplinary team working could facilitate the efficient provision and coordination of increasingly diverse health services, thereby improving the quality of patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge of interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in two teaching hospitals in South Eas...

Objective To determine the prevalence and pattern of rape in Enugu, southeast Nigeria. Methods A prospective descriptive study was conducted among female survivors of rape who presented at the emergency gynecologic and/or forensic unit of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital between February 2012 and July 2013. Data were collected via a pretes...

Context: Although there have been reports of increasing incidence of ovarian cancer in developing countries, no developing country has been involved in current trials of ovarian cancer screening. Aim: To review the evolution of the role and drawbacks of ultrasonography in ovarian cancer screening and the feasibility of implementing current potentia...

Abstract The number of embryos transferred after in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been a topic of debate for over a decade now. Due to the risk associated with multiple pregnancy, there has been a global effort at reducing the multiple pregnancy rates to a minimum while maintaining an acceptable level of successful IVF pregnancy rate. Elective sin...

Background Preterm birth is a high risk condition associated with significant mortality and morbidity in the perinatal, neonatal, and childhood periods, and even in adulthood. Knowledge of the epidemiology of preterm births is necessary for planning appropriate maternal and fetal care. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the pre...

Giant uterine fibroid is a rare tumor of the uterus, usually symptomatic requiring surgical intervention. Uterine fibroid is generally common among black women. In this study, a case of 31 year old nullipara was reported who presented to the Gynaecology unit of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Nigeria with a history of progressive...

Background Nigeria's high perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) could be most effectively reduced by targeting factors that are associated with increased newborn deaths. Low access to skilled birth attendants (SBAs) and weak health system are recognized factors associated with high PNMR but other socio-demographic and reproductive factors could have sign...

AimTo determine accuracy and costs of placental α-microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) test compared to standard clinical assessment (SCA) for diagnosing rupture of membranes (ROM).MethodsA multicenter double-blind study of consecutive women with symptoms and signs of ROM in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and University of Nigeria Teaching...

The burden of cervical cancer is on the increase in sub-Saharan Africa mainly due to inadequate provision and utilisation of cervical cancer prevention services. Several evidence-based strategies have been deployed to improve cervical cancer screening uptake without much success. However, patients' experiences and satisfaction with service provisio...

Objective To determine the prevalence and pattern of, and factors associated with, contraceptive usage among HIV-positive women in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria. Methods In a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study, 400 consecutive HIV-positive, sexually active women receiving care at the adult HIV clinics of 2 tertiary health institutions in Enug...

Objective: To assess the impact of the adoption of evidence based guidelines on maternal mortality reduction at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Materials and methods: A retrospective review of all maternal deaths between 1 st January, 2005 and 31 st December, 2010 was carried out. Evidence based management guidelines for eclam...

Background Expected date of delivery (EDD) is estimated from the last menstrual period (LMP) or ultrasound scan. Conflicts between these estimates especially on the part of the physician and his/her patient could pose a challenge to prevention of prolonged pregnancy. The objective of this study was to determine the perception and acceptability of m...

Background There are reports of increasing incidence of gynecological cancers in developing countries and this trend increases the need for more attention to gynecological cancer care in these countries. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the presentation and treatment of gynecological cancers and identify barriers to successful g...

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) complicates 3-8 percent of pregnancies and leads to one third of preterm deliveries. It results in increased risk of prematurity and leads to perinatal and neonatal complications with risk of fetal death. This article aims to determine the incidence and management outcome of PPROM in Enugu, Nigeria ove...

Abstract BACKGROUND: Generally, sarcomas of the female genital tract are rare and angiosarcomas are extremely rare. They usually have poor prognosis and pose serious diagnostic challenges requiring special techniques namely special stains and immunohistochemistry for proper elucidation. METHOD: A case report of a 65 old para 8 (4 alive) widow, 17...

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy at booking and to determine factors associated with its occurrence in order to proffer solutions. This was a 12-month cross-sectional study of pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic for the first time (booking visit) at ESUTTH, Enugu, Nigeria from 1 April 2009 to 31...

There is need for periodic evaluation of medical students’ performance in professional medical examinations. This helps to identify possible gaps in teaching and may offer solutions that could redress such situations. This study is an audit of medical students’ performance in 2nd MBBS professional examinations in physiology at the University of Nig...

The incidence of ovarian cancer is thought to be increasing in developing countries and little is known about the pattern and incidence of this disease in South-East Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the incidence, describe the pattern and management of ovarian cancer at a tertiary medical center in Enugu South East Nigeria. Th...

Malaria and hookworm infections are common in sub-Saharan Africa and they increase the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy with resultant poor pregnancy outcomes. This study was carried out to assess the impact of Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections on the frequency of anaemia among pregnant women in two rural communities in Enugu, South E...

HIV infection and AIDS is a public health problem worldwide, particularly affecting the populace in resource constrained settings like in sub-Saharan Africa. Women of reproductive age are most affected and infected with the disease. A descriptive study of pregnant women presenting for the first time at the obstetrics booking clinic of ESUTTH, Parkl...

Vulvar lipomas are rare few cases have been reported in the world literature. We document a case of large soft vulvar mass following episiotomy in a 23-year-old primipara. The mass was excised and histologic examination confirmed lipoma.

To determine the stillbirth rate and factors predisposing to a stillbirth delivery at a teaching hospital in Nigeria, with the aim of identifying solutions. A descriptive study of all stillbirths delivered at Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Nigeria between January 1 and December 31, 2009. The sociodemog...

This study aims to determine the impact of free maternal care on the utilisation of the available delivery services and to evaluate the obstetric outcome. All deliveries at ESUTH, Parklane within the 4 months of free maternal care from 1 September to 31( )December 2008 were studied and compared with deliveries that took place 4 months before and af...

Objective: To review the pattern and management of ovarian cancer over a ten-year period at the Results: Out of 20,227 gynaecological admissions during the study period, 200 cases of primary gynaecological cancers were involved. Ovarian cancer constituted 25.0% of all gynaecological malignancies giving an incidence rate of 1 per 405 gynaecological...

Background - Low birth weight (LBW) babies are significantly at risk of death, contributing to the high perinatal morbidity and mortality in low resource countries. Objective- To determine the incidence of LBW babies in our hospital, identify predisposing factors with a view to proffering solution.Method- A one year prospective study of Singleton L...

Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world. The study was to determine the trend of maternal mortality ratio in the hospital as it transits from a General through a Specialist to a Teaching hospital. It was a retrospective review of maternal deaths at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane, over its 5 year tran...