The Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology is the mothership of DIFF Hospital. It is well known for its provision of excellent & quality service particularly in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology. The department prides itself in the provision of first class services in the following;
The goal of our antenatal service is to have a baby and mother that are both alive and well at the end of delivery. This is why the antenatal visit is first to help identify and distinguish between potential low risk pregnancies and high risk pregnancies using renowned global tools of classification. We also provide antenatal classes for expectant mothers, teaching them about all to expect during the pregnancy period and how to recognise potential red flags. This also helps to prepare them for delivery and the early phase of motherhood.
Delivery is a significant part of child bearing and the different types depend on a lot of maternal and foetal variables. Delivery can be through a spontaneous vagina birth, induced labour, assisted delivery techniques or a Caesarean section. The choice of delivery type usually depends on these variables. Our team is well equipped to provide any of the aforementioned delivery types and are always on ground to provide any needed information, discussion and counselling about this.
We also offer fetal reduction services for women with assisted reproductive pregnancies, using advanced obstetric techniques for optimal care.
Infertility: Please refer to our Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Equally important to every mother is the post natal care and a key component here is contraception. Child spacing is recommended by the World Health Organisation and we provide a wide range of modern contraceptive methods for spouses to choose from. Among the different contraceptives available include
- Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD): This is a device inserted into the uterus (womb) and is effective in preventing pregnancy. It comes in various shapes and sizes and it commonly contains copper but some types release hormones as well. Depending on the type an IUCD can be in place for between 3 to 10 years. The benefits of the IUCD include; it can be removed at any time, it cannot be felt during sex, it is safe for women who just gave birth and are breastfeeding and it has a prevention rate of about 99%.
- Injectable: This is a hormonal contraceptive that last for about 3 months. It is an injection that is given once every three months which means you get about 4 shots within a year for a year round cover. It is however associated with some menstrual irregularities like bleeding/spotting between periods, increase in menstrual flow or cessation of menses altogether. Since it is hormonal, it can be associated with weight gain and not recommended for patients at risk of hypertension. It is an ideal contraceptive for short term birth control.
- Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills: This is the combined oral contraceptive pills, comes in different forms, it usually involves taking a pill everyday with 7 free days/placebos. It is also effective in preventing pregnancy and it is hormonal. It contains both progesterone and oestrogen.
- Implant: This is usually a tiny rod about the size of a matchstick that is usually inserted in the medial aspect of your non-dominant upper arm. It is hormonal and it offers contraceptive cover for up to 4 years.
These are some of the common contraceptives methods that are available others include, the progesterone only pill, the surgical form of contraception, and cervical caps.
Key to good obstetric and gynaecological (O & G) care, are O & G surgeries. We offer wide range of O & G surgeries and procedures that include Manual Vacuum Aspiration, Caesarean Section, Myomectomy for Uterine fibroids, Cystectomy, Hysterectomy, Cervical Cerclage, Laparotomy and a host of others.
- Manual Vacuum Aspiration: This is a procedure done to remove uterine contents through the cervix. It is usually indicated in cases of a missed abortion or incomplete abortion. It could also be used to obtain endometrial biopsy samples.
- Myomectomy: Myomectomy is the surgical removal of uterine fibroids from the uterus (womb). The surgery does not remove the uterus and could make preganncy more visible for some women. It is a common procedure for the treatment of uterine fibroids especially among women who are desirous of pregnancy. Myomectomy is one of our leading surgeries because we use skilled hands with modern medical equpments in ensuring the best care for our clients.
- Hysterectomy: Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. This is another surgery that we offer our clients for a plethora of reasons. It could be for prevention or therapeutic reasons. It is a common surgery among much older women who have completed their family size and who tend to be at a higher risk of some pelvic/obstetric cancers. A hysterectomy could also be an emergency procedure, especially in the case of a life threatening uterine bleed. Whatever the indication for having an hysterectomy may be, our facility is well equipped to provide this surgical service.
- Ovarian Cystectomy: This is the surgical removal of cysts in the ovary. The ovary is the organ in the female pelvis (reproductive tract) that is responsible for producing oocytes (eggs). Cysts are usually small fluid-filled sacs, they can be found in different parts of the body but when they are found in the ovaries they are referred to as ovarian cysts. Ovarian cysts are quite common and sometimes they may be small; in which case they could spontaneously regress. Other times they may be large, they could twist and they could cause symptoms like abdominal pain and vomiting. In this case, an ovarian cystectomy which is the removal of an ovarian cyst may be necessitated. Our skilled surgical team offer ovarian cystectomy among our plethoric list of obstetric and gynecologic surgeries that we offer.
- Caesarean Section: This is simply childbirth through surgery and it can be done for a plethora of reasons. It could be elective when the date for the surgery is fixed beforehand or it could be an emergency, when it is done urgently to prevent either maternal or foetal complications. Some of the reasons for an elective C/S are; maternal request, 2 previous uterine scars (either from a C/S or a myomectomy), placenta previa (when the placenta blocks the cervix) or other conditions where a vagina birth is contraindicated like a compromised maternal health status as seen in a HIV positive woman with high viral load. Indications for an emergency C/S include; obstructed labour (this could be due to an inadequate female pelvis or a big baby), foetal distress, abruption placentae (a detached placenta), or other causes of failed labour.
- Cervical Cerclage: This is a surgical procedure done to prevent recurrent 1st trimester pregnancy loss. It is usually done in women with a history of cervical incompetence. A suture is used to keep the cervix closed and prevent it from opening before term and thus preventing spontaneous miscarriage.
Head of Department