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Background Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, with uterine atony responsible in 80% of cases. In intractable cases, hysterectomy is the final treatment, but it has complications. Many doctors in developing countries with high maternal mortality rates from postpartum hemorrhage can perform cesarean deliveries but cannot perform hysterectomy. Patients with postpartum hemorrhage who need hysterectomy in these countries will die in such cases, whereas, if doctors know this simple, easily learned technique, such patients may survive. Technique Esike's technique is a uterine-compression method that uses supplies generally available at delivery hospitals. Six sutures are placed in the lower uterine segment, three anteriorly and three posteriorly. Starting with the middle sutures, the sutures are tied at the fundus with the help of an assistant to provide uterine compression. The more laterally placed sutures are then tied similarly, resulting in uterine compression and stoppage of postpartum hemorrhage. Experience Esike's technique was used in controlling life-threatening, uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage in 18 women and was successful in 16 (89%) without requiring hysterectomy. Conclusion Esike's technique is effective in controlling life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage and can be used in low-resource settings with commonly available supplies and performed by doctors with a common level of training.

Introduction: Eclampsia is one of the most dreaded causes of adverse outcomes of pregnancy worldwide. It is one of the greatest causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality world over. We do not know the prevalence, management outcome, and the devastation caused by this dreaded disease in our center hence the need for this work. Materials and Methods: This is a 7-year retrospective review of all cases of eclampsia managed in Mater Misericordiae Hospital Afikpo, a rural secondary cum referral Catholic Mission Hospital in Afikpo, Ebonyi State in Southeastern Nigeria. Results: The prevalence of eclampsia in our center is 1.12% or one case of eclampsia for every 89 women that delivered in our facility. The majority of the women that had eclampsia in our center 56 (71.8%) were primigravidae. Seventeen women (21.8%) had various antenatal complications with 4 or 23.6% presenting with intrauterine fetal deaths and two (11.8%) each with intrauterine growth restriction, and domestic violence, respectively. Thirty-five or 44.9% of the women were delivered by emergency lower segment cesarean section. Fifteen or 17.9% babies were dead giving a perinatal mortality rate of 174 per 1,000After delivery, and 3 (3.8%) of the women had postpartum hemorrhage. Two women (2.6%) died giving a maternal mortality ratio of 2564 per 100,000 deliveries. Conclusion: Eclampsia is a dreaded obstetric disease with adverse fetal and maternal consequences that are not mitigating, and no effort should be spared in managing it effectively including public enlightenment.

Introduction: Family planning is very important and confers huge benefits to the woman, her family and country. It helps reduce maternal morbidity and mortality among other benefits. In spite of these obvious benefits of and the huge expenditure on it, uptake by women continues to be very low. We conducted this study to find out the reasons for this low uptake in our practice environment.Methodology: This is a cross sectional study where structured pre-tested questionnaires were administered to women in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State from February to April 2015.Results: Of the 354 questionnaires administered, 330 (93.2%) were complete and used for analysis. Majority of the respondents, 285 (86.4%) were in the 26 to 30 years age bracket. All of them were Ibos. Sixty two(18.8%) of the participants had one of their pregnancies unplanned and 19(5.7%) had at least one of their pregnancies unwanted. Though 300 (90.9%) had heard of family planning and was aware of it, only 180(54.5%) had used a family planning method before with majority, 105(58.2%) using natural family planning method. Only 22.7% of the participants was using a family planning method at the time of the study. In majority of the women, 166(50.3%) ,their fears about family planning was the troublesome side effects followed by 110(33.3%) whose husbands objected to their using family planning. Twenty seven women (8.2%) respectively did not use family planning because it is against their culture and religion.Conclusion: Though some progress have been made in family planning, a lot more will be achieved if new programmes are designed to involve the men more actively and address other identified fears among women with regards to family planning.Keywords: Abakaliki; barrier; family planning acceptance; Nigeria