Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2008; 68 - PO_Gyn_02_12
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1088893

Prepregnancy Counselling in Lagos – A report on the first 1000 cases

GO Ajayi 1, T Dina 1, N Okorie 1, D Popoola 1
  • 1prenatal diagnosis and therapy centre,college of medicineof university of lagos,Lagos/Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria/W. Africa

Objective: To assess the activity of a prepregnancy counseling clinic in terms of investigations, counseling, treatment and subsequent pregnancy out.

Setting: Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy Centre in a tertiary University Hospital in Lagos offering referral services for fetal medicine.

Design: Review of the first 1000 couples attending from 1992 to 2007.

Subjects: Couples referred to the centre from various sources.

Main Outcome Measures: Types of referral, value of diagnostic tests, and subsequent outcome of pregnancy.

Result: The main types of referral were: previous miscarriage (48.2%) previous fetal abnormality (10.8%) chronic maternal illness (25.1%) and other (15.9%). Routine investigation showed high serological TORCH positive antibodies carrier rate. Subsequent pregnancy outcome did improve in the chronic maternal disease group.

Conclusions: This study does illustrate the importance of making an accurate assessment of previous problem and current health as a means of determine both maternal and fetal risks in a subsequent pregnancy.