Five hundred and twenty-two pregnant Nigerians attending the antenatal clinic in two private hospitals in Lagos between January and June 2003 were interviewed using a structured questionnaire about their experiences of domestic violence. One hundred and four women declined to participate; a response rate of 80.1% was obtained. Analysis of the completed questionnaire by 418 respondents showed that 197 (47.1%) women reported a history of abuse. Of the 197 women who reported abuse, 23 (11.7%) experienced abuse for the first time during the current pregnancy, 97 (49.2%) experienced abuse prior to and during the current pregnancy and in the remaining 77 (39.1%) abuse predate the current pregnancy. A total of 120 (28.7%) women experienced some form of abuse during current pregnancy. Although all social and ethnic groups were involved, no association could be established between prevalence and pattern of abuse and sociodemographic characteristics. Verbal abuse was the most common type of abuse reported (52.3%), followed by economic deprivation (30%), physical abuse (25%), threat of violence (10.8%) and forced sex in 14.2%. The perpetrators of the abuse were husband and boyfriend (78.7%), in-laws (31.5%) and other relations (6.1%). The majority of abused women (99.0%) were not ready to report the abuse to the police. In conclusion, domestic violence is common in our environment and health-care providers should be alert to the clues in order to protect the women from further abuse.

This study has provided the first evidence from our part of the world showing that assisted pregnancy is associated with poorer obstetric outcome when compared with spontaneously conceived pregnancy.

Background: Advanced age and parity constitute two major factors in the outcome of pregnancy and labour management both in the developed and developing countries. Objective: To examine pregnancy outcomes in women aged 40 years and above with the view of proffering solution to some of the problems encountered. Design: A case control retrospective study.

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Aim: Caesarean section carries a substantial hazard to the unborn fetus, especially if done as an emergencyprocedure. In our environment fetal loss following a caesarean delivery is usually attributed to the procedureby patients and relations who do not readily accept caesarean section as a delivery option.Method: A 10 year descriptive study of caesarean section related perinatal mortality in four tertiary hospitalsin South western Nigeria.Results: Nineteen thousand one hundred and seventy nine deliveries were conducted in the hospitalsduring the study period; five thousand one hundred and ninety five (27.1 %) of which were caesareandeliveries. Two hundred and thirty five of the caesarean deliveries were associated with perinatal death (6.9%.). Majority of these deaths were among the unbooked (73.8%), multiparous (69.0 %) patients and emergencycaesarean delivery (83.4%). Prolonged/ obstructed labour (45.4%), preeclampsia/eclampsia (18.8%) andfetal distress (11.5%), were the commonest indication for caesarean deliveries. While majority of the perinataldeath were still born (60.3%), (39.7%) were early neonatal deaths. The common causes of early neonataldeath in these patients were severe birth asphyxia (37.4 %), neonatal sepsis (22.0%) and prematurity (16.4%).Conclusion: The cause of perinatal mortality associated with caesarean delivery in our environment arepreventable with public enlightenment, provision of affordable and accessible prenatal and neonatal care,discipline, behavioural and attitudinal change of health workers, and the political will on the part of policymakers to maternal and child health delivery care more effective.DOI: 10.3126/njog.v4i1.3332Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology June-July 2009; 4(1): 46-48