The Prevalence and Determinants of Puerperal Sepsis among Postpartum Women at Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia

Background & aim: One of the main global causes of maternal morbidity and death is puerperal sepsis. It remains the most unaddressed public health trouble, especially in emerging nations like Ethiopia. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of puerperal sepsis among postpartum women at Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 participants who were selected by a systematic sampling method from a comprehensive specialized hospital, Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia between March 1st to April 30th, 2020. Questionnaires and Chart reviews were used to collect data. SPSS software (version 24) was used for data analysis. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to ascertain the relationship between the explanatory factors and the dependent variable. Results: The prevalence of puerperal sepsis was 20.6%. Rural residency (AOR=5.8, 95% CI=3.12-11.02), home delivery (AOR=8.5, 95% CI=3.19-25.6), prenatal care visits fewer than four (AOR=9, 95% CI=4.52-16.12), caesarean delivery (AOR=8.4, 95% CI=4.27-16.69), obstructed labor (AOR=2.5, 95% CI=1.10,-6.19), and referral (AOR=3.9, 95% CI= 2.09 -7.61) were among the factors that predicted puerperal sepsis.Conclusion: Puerperal sepsis is an unsolved public health problem in the study area. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the rate of puerperal sepsis among postpartum women by implementing aseptic techniques during cesarean section procedures, encouraging the use of antenatal care services, improving institutional delivery, preventing obstructed labor by regularly using partograph to manage labor, and offering timely referrals.

The Prevalence and Determinants of Puerperal Sepsis among Postpartum Women at Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia Keywords:

Puerperal Sepsis , Postpartum , Ethiopia