Author(s)

Abdoul Aziz Ndiaye^1*, Djiby Sow^2,3, Nogaye Dieye^2,3, El Hadji Gueye⁴, Boubacar Gueye¹, Alioune Badara Tall¹, Papa Gallo Sow¹, Oumar Sidibe³, Ousseynou Ka¹

¹Université Alioune Diop de Bambey, Bambey, Sénégal.
²Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal.
³Centre Hospitalier Abass NDAO, Dakar, Sénégal.
⁴Centre Africain d’Etudes Supérieures en Gestion, Dakar, Sénégal.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in health systems. The objective was to assess the effect of Covid-19 on the frequency of prenatal consultations (PNCs) for pathological pregnancies at the Abass NDAO Hospital Centre. Materials and Methods: This was primarily a retrospective study conducted at the Abass NDAO Hospital maternity ward. The target was the medical records of women followed for a pathological pregnancy at maternity from July 2019 to November 2020. Second, the department’s qualified staffs were asked about their experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic. Data collection was carried out between October 2021 and February 2022. Results: A total of 690 prenatal charts for pathological pregnancy were collected: 375 (54%) before the pandemic compared to 315 during Covid-19 (46%). The average age of women was 28.15 years. The age group 25 and 35 was the most represented (36.81%). Reasons for consultation were dominated by threats of premature delivery (51%), followed by severe pre-eclampsia (14%) and premature membrane rupture (11%), respectively. The frequency of prenatal consultations (PNCs) was inversely related to pandemic dynamics and significant monthly variations were observed. Qualified health personnel were midwives (71.40%) and gynecologists (28.60%). During the pandemic, more than the majority of staff (67%) worked 3 days a week, and 24% of health workers 5 days. The majority of staff (60%) reported experiencing overwork during the pandemic. Non-compliance with consultation days was noted in 38% of health providers. Protective equipment was not provided to 14% of the staff. Staff difficulties during prenatal consultations were fear of occupational exposure (12%) and patient reluctance (88%). Conclusion: The Covid-19 pandemic is having a major impact on prenatal consultations for pathological pregnancies at Abass NDAO Hospital. Effective measures must be taken to avoid the consequences of maternal mortality and the functioning of the structure.

Pandemic, Covid-19, Pathological Pregnancy

Ndiaye, A. , Sow, D. , Dieye, N. , Gueye, E. , Gueye, B. , Tall, A. , Sow, P. , Sidibe, O. and Ka, O. (2022) Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Prenatal Consultations for Pathological Pregnancies at the Maternity Unit of Abass Ndao Hospital, Dakar, Senegal. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 12, 421-430. doi: 10.4236/ojepi.2022.124034.