TITLE:
Childbirth Complications among Adolescent Mothers at Mbala General Hospital in Mbala District, Zambia
AUTHORS:
Chansa Regina, Maimbolwa M. Margaret, Catherine Ngoma, Mwaba S. Chileshe
KEYWORDS:
Childbirth Complications, Co-Morbidities, Adolescent Mothers
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.9 No.7,
July
22,
2019
ABSTRACT: Aim: The study aim was to explore childbirth complications among adolescent mothers at Mbala General Hospital, Zambia. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study design of 138 adolescent mothers aged between 10-19 years was carried out over a period of five months at a referral hospital (Mbala General Hospital) in Mbala District, in the Northern Province of Zambia, Central Africa. Results: Maternal age prevalence was 31.1% for all admissions. The childbirth complications identified on admission were prolonged labour (42%); during Labour-Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) (59.7%), prolonged labour (20%), in the post-partum period, Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH) due atonic uterus at 20%. The most prevalent co-morbidity was Anemia (55.6%). A statistically significant association was observed between childbirth complications and parity with a P-value of 0.001. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates an association between childbirth complications and parity while the childbirth complications of prolonged labour, Contracted Pelvic Disproportion, premature rupture of membrane and PPH were observed.