Table 2.
Profile of Emergency Obstetric Referral Processes and Diagnoses
| Characteristics | Total, N=161 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | |
| Referral escorted by health worker | ||
| No | 151 | 94 |
| Yes | 10 | 6 |
| Transport means for referral | ||
| Private means (Taxi) | 137 | 85 |
| Facility ambulance | 24 | 15 |
| Communication to higher facility before referral | ||
| No | 161 | 100 |
| Yes | 0 | 0 |
| Cadre in charge of referral (n=157) | ||
| Doctor | 6 | 4 |
| Midwives | 151 | 96 |
| Main reason for delay at referring facility (n=135) | ||
| Waiting for transport means | 36 | 27 |
| Waiting for referral letter | 36 | 27 |
| Waiting for the doctor’s review/decision | 30 | 22 |
| Many patients with few attending staff | 22 | 16 |
| Others | 11 | 8 |
| Main reason for referral | ||
| Power outages | 79 | 49 |
| No doctor to operate on the patient | 64 | 40 |
| Requiring specialized care | 14 | 9 |
| Not indicated (Further management) | 4 | 2 |
| Main referral diagnosis | ||
| Previous scar(s) | 39 | 24 |
| Prolonged labour | 33 | 21 |
| Malpresentations | 17 | 11 |
| Obstructed labour | 14 | 9 |
| PROM and Preterm labour | 14 | 9 |
| Contracted pelvis | 11 | 7 |
| Preeclampsia/eclampsia | 9 | 6 |
| Others | 12 | 8 |
| Not indicated | 12 | 8 |
Notes: Others among referral diagnoses=antepartum hemorrhage n=5(3%), fetal distress n=3(2%), cardiac disease in pregnancy n=2(1%) and urinary tract infection n=2(1%).
Abbreviation: PROM, premature rupture of membranes.