OBJECTIVE:

A time motion study to check the efficiency of the workload, the facilities, and the providers and the reasons for identified delays in women with obstetric emergencies with the aim of making motherhood safer for developing countries.

Materials and Methods:

A client flow chart was used to collect record of time of arrival of respondents at labour ward and the time the various activities were done were noted. Structured questionnaires were also used. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Software. Using EPI-INFO Statcalc Feature, further analysis was employed using Yates Correction of Continuity Chi-Square to measure association between demographic characteristics and feto-maternal outcome.

RESULTS:

Ninety-six women with Obstetric emergencies at the labour wards of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex were studied. Delays in delivery care occurred mostly in subjects requiring emergency caesarean section. There were theatre related and care givers related factors. The major cause of delays was inadequate operating theatre space and/or inconsistent labour ward theatre power supply. Delays between decision and commencement of caesarean section had a significant relationship with perinatal and maternal mortality (p-value =0.001). Demographic characteristics of the women did not have any significance impact with maternal outcome but low level of education and religious persuasions impacted negatively on perinatal outcome (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Phase 3 delays occurred in this hospital with a resultant increase in maternal and perinatal mortality in developing countries.

Keywords: Time motion study, maternal and perinatal mortality, delay factors, safe motherhood