Postpartum Health among Rural Zambian Women

Abstract

Health problems after childbirth have received little attention compared to maternal morbidity in the antenatal period and during labour. We conducted a hospital-based study to investigate postpartum health problems in rural Zambian women. Health problems are very common: 84% of the 620 study participants reported at least one health problem. The majority of women who experienced a health problem took action to relieve the complaint. High vaginal swabs were used to diagnose a genital tract infection. Seventeen per cent of the swabs were abnormal; most women with abnormal result showed no symptoms of genital tract infection. Ninety three per cent of women with symptoms suggestive of a genital tract infection did not seek medical attention. Further research is needed to estimate the impact of self-reported health problems on women's daily lives. Women should be educated on specific conditions that require medical care. More information is also needed on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in antenatal and postpartum women including the feasibility of mass screening and treatment in this group of women. RÉSUMÉLa santé du post-partum chez les femmes zambiennes rurales. Les problèmes de la santé de l'après accouchement n'ont attiré que très peu d'attention par rapport à la morbidité maternelle dans la période prénatale et pendant l'accouchement. Nous avons mené cette étude basée sur l'hôpital pour étudièr les problèmes liés à la santé du post-partum chez les femmes zambiennes rurales. Les problèmes de la santé sont communs: 84% parmi les 620 femmes enquêtées avaient au moins un problème de santé. La majorité des femmes qui avaient un problème de santé ont pris des mesures pour alléger la plainte. Une infection de faisseau génital a été diagnostiqué à l'aide des prélèvement vaginaux de haut degré. Dix sept pour cent des prélèvements étaient anormaux; la plupart des femmes qui avaient des résultats anormaux n'avaient pas de symptômes de l'infection du faisseau génital. Quatre-vingt-trois pour cent des femmes qui avaient des symptômes qui indiquaient l'infection du faisseau génital n'ont pas recherché des soins médicaux. En plus, il faut davantage des recherches pour évaluer l'impact des problèmes de la santé signalés par soi-même sur la vie quotidienne des femmes. Il faut sensibiliser les femmes aux conditions particulières qui exigent des soins médicaux. Il faut encore des rensiegnements sur la prévalence des infections sexuellement transmissibles chez les femmes en grossesse et chez celles qui viennent d'accoucher, y compris la possibilité d'un dépistage et d'un traitement systématique des femmes de ce groupe. (Rev Afr Santé Reprod 2003; 7[3]: 41-48)

Relationships between antenatal and postnatal care and post-partum modern contraceptive use: evidence from population surveys in Kenya and Zambia

“…In rural areas, the proportion of PNC use within 6 weeks of delivery could be as low as 42% [28]. PNC often receives much less attention than ANC and delivery care [29]. Many women did not know about the existence of PNC or thought that it was only necessary if they had pregnancy complications [30].…”

Postpartum maternal morbidity requiring hospital admission in Lusaka, Zambia – a descriptive study

“…Other hospital-based studies as well as surveys of women's self-reports of postpartum morbidity report puerperal sepsis as a leading cause of postpartum morbidity in developing countries [5,6,15-18]. …”

Oral and Intramuscular Treatment Options for Early Postpartum Endometritis in Low-Resource Settings

“…2,[5][6][7][8][9] Untreated, postpartum endometritis case fatality rates have been estimated to be 17%, but with early recognition and appropriate antibiotics coupled with community-based interventions, the rate can be reduced to 2%. 10 In resource-constrained settings, women often lack access 11 to broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics, the standard of care for treatment for postpartum endometritis. 12,13 Early recognition of postpartum endometritis, combined with oral or combined oral and intramuscular antibiotic regimens, can expand access to care for these women and improve morbidity and mortality.…”