OBSTRUCTED LABOR
The women of developing countries are at risk of pregnancy-relatedcomplications including pre-eclampsia/ eclampsia, obstructed labor, sepsis etc. Obstructedlabor results due to three delays while woman is full term & is in labor. If detected and managedearly and correctly, the pregnancies can be made safe and may result in birth of healthybabies. Objectives: (1) To assess frequency of obstructed labor among pregnant women. (2)To determine socio-demographic risk factors associated with obstructed labor among studypopulation. (3)To determine outcomes of obstructed labor among pregnant women. StudyDesign: It was a hospital based descriptive cross sectional study. Period: Two months. Setting:Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics units I, II and III of Liaquat University Hospital(LUH) Hyderabad. Methods: To estimate the frequency, risk factors & outcomes of obstructedlabor as of third trimester adverse pregnancy outcomes & to seek association of this adversepregnancy outcome with the socio-demographic characteristics of the pregnant women i.e.their age, residence, parity, level of education & socio economic class. Results: Out of total sixhundred & nine women enrolled in the study, only 22 (3.61%) were in obstructed labor. 63.64%of them were of age > 30 years. More than 60% women in obstructed labor had reported fromrural areas; and more than eighty percent of them were illiterate & belonged to lower socioeconomicclass. Only 4.55% of the women in obstructed labor were the booked cases. All thecases of obstructed labor were at full term. Cesarean section was done on 90.90% women. Nota single maternal mortality was reported among women enrolled in the study as obstructedlabor. Conclusion: Neglected obstructed labor is a major public health issue. It can be avoidedby addressing various socio-demographic determinants of pregnant women.