The demographic characteristics and health seeking behaviour of unbooked patients in Irrua specialist teaching hospital

Background: The Obstetric outcome of the patients who receive antenatal care and deliver at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital is reasonably satisfactory. Our major challenges arise from unbooked emergencies. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of unbooked patients in the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, their clinical presentation, their demographic characteristics as well as their obstetric outcome. Methods: A structured proforma was used to collect relevant information over a one-year period from patients' case notes, theatre records and labour ward records. Results: During the study period, unbooked patients constituted 14.7% of all deliveries. They had a higher proportion of teenagers (p Nigerian Journal of Medicine Vol. 16 (1) 2007: pp. 65-70