Analytical Study of Postpartum Haemorrhage Incidence and Risk Factors at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State

Postpartum haemorrhage remains the leading cause of maternal mortality in Nigeria, and a rigorous analytical understanding of its incidence and risk factors at the institutional level is essential for prevention strategy development. This study analytically examines the incidence, risk factor profile, and clinical outcomes of postpartum haemorrhage at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, South South Nigeria. A retrospective cohort design is applied to 1,800 consecutive delivery records from 2020 to 2023. Postpartum haemorrhage is defined as blood loss of 500 mL or more within 24 hours of vaginal delivery and 1,000 mL following caesarean section. Risk factors analysed include uterine atony, placenta praevia, placental abruption, prolonged labour, multiparity, oxytocin augmentation, multiple gestation, and previous uterine surgery. Binary logistic regression in SPSS adjusts for confounders. Available obstetric literature from South South Nigeria identifies uterine atony as responsible for approximately 70 percent of postpartum haemorrhage cases, with grand multiparity and prolonged labour as the two most consistent independent risk factors among institutional series. The FIGO postpartum haemorrhage definition and the WHO Recommendations for Prevention of PPH guide case identification and outcome assessment. Findings will support the department in implementing targeted risk-stratified oxytocin prophylaxis protocols. Keywords: postpartum haemorrhage, risk factors, uterine atony, Cross River State, South South Nigeria.