Publications

Puerperal sepsis is a widespread issue globally, causing maternal health complications acrosshospital maternity wards. Typically, around 4-6% of hospital-admitted patients withinmaternity wards contract clinical infections, including sepsis. The overarching aim of thisstudy was to identify the contributing factors to puerperal sepsis among postnatal mothersin the maternity ward at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. Conducted as a cross-sectionalinvestigation, questionnaires were distributed to mothers in the maternity ward for selfcompletion.All postnatal mothers who delivered at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital anddeveloped puerperal sepsis were included in the study. Quantitative data was manuallyanalyzed using Microsoft Excel, summarized through averages and percentages, andpresented via tables, graphs, and pie charts. The study uncovered that the prevalence ofpuerperal sepsis at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital stands at 22.4%. Key findingsinclude that the majority of respondents were multiparous (80.6%), with 49.4% delivering atthe hospital, 41.7% at home, and 8.8% with the assistance of a traditional birth attendant.Furthermore, 64.7% had spontaneous vaginal deliveries, while 35.3% underwent cesareansections. Additionally, 58.8% were assisted by doctors, and 41.2% were assisted bymidwives/nurses. Of note, 57.6% experienced normal labor duration, while 42.4% enduredprolonged labor, and 12.9% encountered antepartum hemorrhage. The prevalence ofpuerperal sepsis was strongly associated with factors such as parity, mode of delivery, placeof delivery, duration of labor, and concurrent medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension,and HIV infection. Recommendations stemming from these findings emphasize collaborativeefforts between the government (particularly the Ministry of Health) and hospitals to alleviatecosts for mothers during critical health situations. Moreover, aseptic techniques duringdelivery assistance should be rigorously practiced to mitigate the incidence of puerperalsepsis.Keywords: Puerperal sepsis, Clinical infection, Patients, Postnatal mothers, Caesareansection, Vaginal delivery.