TY - JOUR PY - 2014// TI - Falls among pregnant women in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria JO - Nigerian journal of clinical practice A1 - Okeke, T. C. A1 - Ugwu, E. O. A1 - Ikeako, L. C. A1 - Adiri, C. O. A1 - Ezenyeaku, Cct A1 - Ekwuazi, K. E. A1 - Okoro, O. S. SP - 292 EP - 295 VL - 17 IS - 3 N2 - BACKGROUND: Falls during pregnancy are major public health issues and a common cause of maternal injury during pregnancy. There is paucity of data on prevalence and risk factors of falls during pregnancy in African population including Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with falls during pregnancy in Enugu, Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 332 consecutive pregnant women presenting in labor for delivery at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria between 1 st May and 31 st December, 2012.

RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 32.2 ± 2.7 (range: 20-42) years. One hundred and eight women (32.5%) reported falling at least once during the index pregnancy. Women aged ≤ 30 years had twofold risk of falling during pregnancy than women aged > 30 years [41.1% (69/168) vs. 23.8% (39/164); odds ratio (OR): 2.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39-3.58; P < 0.001)]. Similarly, women ≥ 160 cm in height had significantly higher risk of falling during pregnancy than women < 160 cm in height [43.5% (70/161) vs. 22.2% (38/171); OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23-0.60; P < 0.0001)]. Furthermore, primigravidae had almost threefold risk of falling during pregnancy than multigravidae [45.3% (63/139) vs. 23.3% (45/193); OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.70-4.37; P < 0.0001)].

CONCLUSION: Falls during pregnancy is common in Enugu, Nigeria. It is, therefore, recommended that women should be counseled during pregnancy on this public health problem and the above-identified risk factors emphasized in order to reduce the prevalence and morbidity.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1119-3077 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.130228 ID - ref1 ER -