Background: Postpartum ritual hot bath is one of the harmful cultural beliefs commonly practiced in Northern Nigeria. It is linked with health hazards especially among women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study conducted among 199 pregnant women over the period of 3 months. Ethical approval was obtained from The Kano State Ethical Committee. Questionnaire was administered among consenting pregnant women. Information on sociodemographic characteristics and practice of hot bath was obtained. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17 computer software (SPSS Inc., SPSS Statistics for Windows, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: One hundred and ninety-nine pregnant women were recruited for the survey. The mean age ± standard deviation was 28.09 ± 5.55 years. The rate of hot bath was 56.80% and the days spent taking the hot bath ranged from 4 to 40 days. An average of 195.41 ± 96.050 Naira was spent on firewood per day for the hot bath. The method of boiling the water was mainly the use of firewood 87 (78.40%). They mainly used leaves 76 (68.50%) and towel 35 (31.50%) for bathing. The responsibility of the cost of the hot bath was mainly on husband 102 (91.90%). The hot bath was enforced mainly by the parents 68 (61.30%). Up to 82 (73.90%) of the respondents were ready to abandon the hot bath if alternatives such as drugs are provided. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of hot bath was 56.80%. The burden of its financial implications lies mainly on husbands leading to other social and financial problems.

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Background: Following road traffic accidents (RTAs) some patients sustain fractures that involve loss of bone segments. This does not do well with the usual bone grafting. To achieve union, docking of the remaining fragments will have to be done which will lead to severe shortening. Vascularized bone graft would be the best. In the absence of vascularized bone graft, bone transport can be used to avoid the shortening and treat the defect. Objective: To assess the effectiveness bone transport/distraction technique using the Linear Rail System for the treatment of segmental bone loss following trauma. Methods: All patients with segmental bone loss of more than 4 cm following RTA were included in the study. 10 patients were involved in the study. Results: All our ten patients achieved adequate defect correction of up to 80% to 100%. Conclusion: H.S. Pitkar LRS System when used properly is good for management of segmental bone loss following trauma.

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Background: Cesarean section (CS) is employed when vaginal delivery is not feasible or hazardous to the mother and/or her baby. The procedure, however, is not without risk. We determined the maternal and early neonatal outcomes of CS in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a 2-year cross-sectional study of all CS deliveries performed at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria, from July 01, 2009, to June 30, 2011. All patients who had CS at any time within the 24 h period were noted and followed up until discharge. The sociodemographic data, types of CS, anesthesia, indications, cadre of a surgeon, and feto-maternal outcomes were documented in a proforma. Statistical analysis was carried out using the EPI INFO 3.5.1 (CDC Atlanta Georgia, USA). Results: There were 4462 deliveries out of which 504 (11.3%) were by CS. The age range of the subjects was between 15 and 50 years, and the mean age was 28.7 (3.05) years. Most of the subjects 75.2% (379/504) were multigravida while the primigravida constituted 3.1% (16/504). CS was performed for emergency reasons in 57.1% (288/504) while elective CS constituted 42.9% (216/504) of cases. The most frequent indication for emergency CS was obstructed labor 25.7% (30/288) and previous CS 39.8% (86/216) for elective CS. There were 514 babies delivered during the study of which 98.1% (504/514) were singletons while 1.9% (10/514) was multiple gestations. The maternal complication rate was 13.3% (67/504), and the main complication was hemorrhage 59.7% (40/67). Complications were more frequent with emergency CS compared to elective surgery (Chi-square test [χ² ] =6.633, df = 1, P < 0.01) and with junior compared to senior residents (χ² = 15.9, df = 1, P < 0.001). There was also a significant relationship between the fetal Apgar scores and the type of CS. The low 1 ^st and 5 ^th min Apgar scores were more frequent with emergency cases compared to elective CS (χ² = 30.60, df = 1, P < 0.001; χ² = 4.62.df = 1, P < 0.003). There were 10 maternal and 60 perinatal deaths. Conclusion: The CS rate in this study was 11.3%. Obstructed labor and previous CS among multigravida were the most frequent indications. Maternal and perinatal complications were more frequent with emergency CS and in the referred cases.

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Background: Nigeria still experiences a high burden of unsafe motherhood. The knowledge of obstetric danger signs and the effective application of the principles of birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPACR) have the potential to significantly reduce the high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rates. However, rural-urban differences may exist in the knowledge and practice of  BPACR among women, and these may limit its potential benefit. We set out to assess and compare the knowledge of obstetric danger signs and practice of BPACR among pregnant women attending Rural (Agbowa) and Urban (Gbagada) Hospitals in Lagos State. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional comparative study, pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in each health facility were recruited into the study using a systematic sampling method. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire adapted from the safe motherhood John Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics prototype questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Results: Awareness of obstetric danger signs during pregnancy was good among rural and urban study participants accounting for 62.4% and 68.4%, respectively. The most commonly identified danger sign in pregnancy, labor, and after delivery was bleeding from the genital tract. The awareness of danger signs during labor and after delivery identified by the women was low in both settings, though relatively higher in the urban area. The level of BPACR was low in both groups of women but was higher among women attending the urban center (31.6%) compared with the rural center (13.2%) P-value < 0.001. Conclusion and Recommendations: Activities aimed at improving birth preparedness practices particularly among rural women should be considered.

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Background: The rising burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with its attendant's complication can be successively steamed in the face of appropriate self-care management. The latter is positively imparted by the level of knowledge of the disease itself, its impact on quality of life and available basic technique of its control. Aims: The study is, therefore, aimed to assess the level of glycemic control and its determinants among type 2 subjects attending a secondary hospital in Niger Delta. Subjects and Methods: Two hundred consenting adult type 2 diabetes patients of age more than 40 years and attended diabetes outpatient clinics at the Central Hospital Warri between March and August 2014 were used for this cross-sectional study. Two different questionnaires were administered to all the participants to collect the necessary information on diabetes knowledge as well as factors that might affect their glycemic control. Blood samples were collected for fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) for all the respondents. Weight and height were also measured to the nearest 0.5 kilogram and centimeter using standardized equipment. Body mass index was then calculated as the ratio of weight in kilogram and height in meters square (kg/m ² ). Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical Package for Social Science Version 16 was used to compute the data generated. Results: The mean age and diabetic duration of all participants were 54.8 ± 11.9 years and 8.5 ± 3.2 years, respectively. The overall mean knowledge score of the subjects was 6.90 ± 1.8 (69.0 ± 18.2%) The mean FBG level and HbA1c of respondents were 7.89 ± 3.6 mmol/L (range 4-20 mmol/L) and 8.2%, respectively, with 55% of the population having poor glycemic control and 45% good glycemic control. The diabetic knowledge scoring of those with poor glycemic control was significantly lower than those with good glycemic control. In addition, diabetics' with poor glycemic control HbA1c >7.0 had longer diabetic duration (1-19 years; 8.06 ± 4.30) when compared with those with good glycemic control, HbA1c < 7.0 (1-15 years; 6.44 ± 4.02). Conclusions: The proportion of poor glycemic control among patients with T2DM in Central Hospital Warri is relatively high with diabetic duration and inadequate diabetic knowledge identified as significant determinants.

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Background: Birth weight (BW) is an important determinant of infant's well-being. Several factors such as mothers' genetic characteristics, sociocultural, demographic, behavioral factors, prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), and gestational weight gain contribute to BW. Objective: This study assesses the association between the maternal BMI at the first visit to the BW of their babies in women attending antenatal care clinic in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto Nigeria. Methodology: This was a hospital-based longitudinal study conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of UDUTH, Sokoto, between November 01, 2011 and October 30, 2012. Two hundred and five pregnant women with singleton gestation and uncomplicated pregnancies were consecutively recruited during the antenatal booking visit after the second missed menstrual period and before 13 weeks of gestation and followed up to delivery. Relevant sociodemographic data including the BMI and BW of the Neonates were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20 Armonk, NY, USA. Results: The ages of the women range from 16 to 44 years with a mean of 27.45 (±5.32) years. The mean BMI at first visit was 25.09 kg/m ² (6.06), while the mean BW of the babies was 3.07 (0.54) kg. There was a significant correlation between maternal BMI at their first visit to the BW of the neonates (r = 0.607, P < 0.001). This shows that maternal BMI is directly related to the neonatal BW. Conclusion: Our study has shown that there is a significant relationship between the maternal BMI and the BW of the neonates among antenatal attendees at UDUTH, Sokoto. Further expansion of the work is recommended including adjustment for maternal age, gestational weight gain, and ethnicity.

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Background: Interpregnancy interval (IPI) offers an important period which allows the parturient to recover from the effects of pregnancy and to be in optimum health before the next pregnancy. Short IPI has serious health and economic implications. Objective: To determine the IPI among parturient attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the factors that determine this interval. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey involving 340 eligible women who attended the antenatal clinic. A pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the participants. The Chi-square and Student's t-tests were used to determine association between predictor variables and the IPI with P < 0.05 as level of significance. Results: The mean age of respondents was 28.4 ± 3.9 years. The average IPI was 14.9 ± 8.5 months with a range of 3-28 months. The incidence of women with short IPI was 65.9% (224/340). Contraceptive use, the presence of a male child, perinatal death in the previous confinement, number of living children, previous history of infertility, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and duration of postpartum amenorrhea showed significant association with the IPI. Conclusion: A significant proportion of our women had short IPI. Lack and failure of contraceptive use, absence of a male child, small family size, and perinatal death were among the factors that were significantly associated with short IPI. Knowledge of the of these factors would be of assistance to family planning counselors to understand the peculiar needs of our women and to offer appropriate contraceptive advice.

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Background: Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa and has a high fertility rate and low contraceptive prevalence. Various strategies have been developed to reduce the fertility rates, all aimed toward increasing contraceptive prevalence. Male sterilization is a safe, cheap, and effective method of contraception, but female perception and awareness of vasectomy may greatly affect its utilization. Objective: To determine the knowledge and attitude of antenatal patients in a Nigerian tertiary health facility toward vasectomy. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among antenatal clinic attendees. The participants were selected via systematic random sampling technique and a structured pretested questionnaire was used to assess their knowledge and attitude toward vasectomy. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 17 statistical software for windows XP and results were expressed in percentages. Results: One hundred and fifty respondents participated in the study, 83 (55.3%) were aware of vasectomy, 59 (71.08%) accepted it as a method of male contraception, and only 23 (38.98%) approved its use for their spouse. The main source of information on vasectomy was from health workers 53 (63.86%). Almost half of the women (47.8%) who accepted vasectomy did so because they felt men should also participate in family planning. Most of the women who disapproved of vasectomy cited it as an unpopular method. Conclusion: The approval of use of vasectomy by female partners is poor. Majority of these patients would not recommend it to their spouse as they have wrong perception of the procedure. Re-education of medical workers and wider public education through mass media may improve the approval of vasectomy by women for their spouses.

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Background: Human immunodeficiency disease (HIV/AIDS) is a chronic medical condition with many psychological complications, one of which is suicide behavior. Many studies of this behavior have been reported in the developed countries while only a few in Africa. One, therefore, wonders whether this behavior is not found or rare in African people. If found, how common are they in a treatment center in Kaduna metropolis? Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of suicidality among HIV/AIDS patients receiving care at AIDS relief center of St. Gerard's Catholic Hospital, Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 250 HIV-positive patients who can read and write in English selected through a convenience sampling. A self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire was given to the patients to fill after receiving written consent. Thereafter, all the participating patients were interviewed for suicidality using suicidality module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: There were 96 males (38.4%) and 154 females (61.6%) who participated in the study. The age range of the patients was 18-64 years with a mean of 35.58 (standard deviation + 8.8). The prevalence of suicidality among these patients was 16%. Low risk of suicidality was found among 26 (65%) of the forty patients who had suicidality. Moderate risk was found in 5 (12.5%) while 9 (22.5%) patients had high risk of suicidality. Conclusion: The implication of this finding is that suicidality as one of the psychological consequences of HIV/AIDS is found among these infected patients in Nigeria. Therefore, there is need for prompt recognition and prevention of suicidal behavior among these patients.

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Background: Utilization of oral health services by children is dependent on factors related to the children, parents, and health facilities. Availability of dental personnel (skills) and facilities are very essential for optimal dental care. The aim was to assess the trends in service provision to child dental patients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A 5 years (2009-2013) retrospective review of clinical records of pediatric dental patients aged 0-16 years was carried out at the Child Dental Health Clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt. The following information was obtained from the records: (i) The period of the procedures, (ii) demographic characteristics, and (iii) the procedures done. The information was collated and analyzed using the SPSS version 20. Results: There were 1692 children treated during the study period; comprising 905 (53.5%) females and 787 (46.5%) male and their mean age was 8.4 (±3.9) years. Most (550 [31.2%]) of the dental procedures were carried out in 2013. In the study period, March and April had the least (4.3%) and most (11.5%) dental procedures, respectively. Tooth extractions and minor surgical procedures represented one-third (33.3%) of the procedures carried out. Preventive procedures were more frequently performed during school vacations while emergency procedures were done when schools were in session. There was a decline in tooth extractions from 2011 to 2013 while there was an increase in preventive procedures. Conclusion: Dental services were more utilized during school vacations, and there was an increase in utilization of preventive dental procedures as a result of increasing oral health awareness.

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