AFJOG

African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Volume 3 | Issue 2 | 2025 | 30 ORIGINAL RESEARCH African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Volume 3 | Issue 2 | 2025 | The impact of the Covid -19 pandemic on Obstetric care in a resource limited setting: A 12- month retrospective chart review ≥4000 51 4.4 20 2.0 0.63 Total 1157 100.0 982 100.0 NICU Admission Yes 434 37.5 265 27.0 0.004 No 723 62.5 717 73.0 <0.001 Total 1157 100.0 982 100.0 ≤ Obstetric Outcomes The most common obstetric outcome before (n=410, 51.2%) and after (n=261, 50.6%) the pandemic was pre- eclampsia (Table 5). Table 5: Obstetric Outcomes of mothers attending Grey's Hospital before (1 March 2019 – 29 February 2020) and during (1 March 2020 – 28 February 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic Pre-Covid Peri-Covid P- Value a Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Obstetric Complications RH –ve 23 2.9 7 1.4 0.83 RH Negative with antibodies 2 0.2 3 0.6 0.95 3rd Degree Tears 1 0.1 1 0.2 - 4th Degree Tears 3 0.4 1 0.2 0.98 Pre- eclampsia 410 51.2 261 50.4 0.84 Eclampsia 58 7.2 20 3.9 0.60 Failed IOL 80 10.0 8 1.5 0.89 Failed IOL. Foetal compromise 30 3.7 19 3.7 >0.99 Peripartum Cardio- myopathy 3 0.4 1 0.2 0.98 Foetal anomalies 39 4.9 28 5.4 0.93 Abruptio placentae 45 5.6 15 2.9 0.68 Placenta praevia 33 4.1 9 1.7 0.73 APH of unknown origin 10 1.2 2 0.4 0.92 Retained placenta 2 0.2 1 0.2 >0.99 Ruptured Uterus without TAH 3 0.4 4 0.8 0.95 Ruptured Uterus with TAH 1 0.1 0 0.0 - PPH at Greys 7 0.9 7 1.4 0.93 PPH referred in 24 3.0 2 0.4 0.83 Preterm labour 17 2.1 9 1.7 0.94 ICU admission with mechanical ventilation 4 0.5 18 3.5 0.75 ICU admission without mechanical ventilation 2 0.2 1 0.2 >0.99 Other 4 0.5 101 19.5 0.34 Total 801 100.0 518 100.0 ≤ Before the pandemic, the most common maternal comorbidity was diabetes (n=63, 27.6%). However, during the pandemic, the most observed comorbidity was ‘Other’ (n=196, 55.7%) (Table 6). Table 6: Comorbidities of mothers attending Grey's Hospital before (1 March 2019 – 29 February 2020) and during (1 March 2020 – 28 February 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic Pre-Covid Peri-Covid P- Value a Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Comorbidities Cardiac 59 25.9 25 7.1 0.05 Chronic HPT 56 24.6 36 10.2 0.09 Diabetes 63 27.6 33 9.4 0.04 Epilepsy 29 12.7 8 2.3 0.39 Asthma 22 9.6 2 0.6 0.67 Tuberculosis 8 3.5 3 0.9 0.82 Pneumonia 6 2.6 3 0.9 0.86 Pyelonephritis 3 1.3 1 0.3 0.93 Pulmonary Embolus 2 0.9 2 0.6 0.97 Pulmonary oedema 3 1.3 1 0.3 0.93 Renal failure 19 8.3 23 6.5 0.82 Thyroid disease 18 7.9 9 2.6 0.59 PUI (COVID 19) 0 0.0 9 2.6 - Confirmed COVID 19+ 0 0.0 1 0.3 - Other 0 0.0 196 55.7 - Total 288 100.0 352 100.0 PPH at Greys 7 0.9 7 1.4 0.93 PPH referred in 24 3.0 2 0.4 0.83 Preterm labour 17 2.1 9 1.7 0.94 ICU admission with mechanical ventilation 4 0.5 18 3.5 0.75 ICU admission without mechanical ventilation 2 0.2 1 0.2 >0.99 Other 4 0.5 101 19.5 0.34 Total 801 100.0 518 100.0 ≤