Objective: To find the incidence, indications, failure rate and the maternal and neonatal morbidity associated with the use of the vacuum extractor in a district hospital.
Methods: A retrospective study of vacuum assisted vaginal deliveries.
Setting: Holy Family Hospital, Nkawkaw from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2009.
Results: There were a total of 22,947 deliveries at the Holy Family Hospital over the ten year period of the study. There were 180 (0.78% of the total deliveries) cases of vacuum extraction out of which 164 (91.1%) of the extractions had successful vacuum assisted vaginal deliveries. The incidence of successful vacuum assisted vaginal delivery was 0.71% of the total number of deliveries. The failure rate of vacuum extraction was 8.9%. The commonest indications for vacuum assisted vaginal delivery were delayed second stage 40.5%, and poor maternal effort 29.3%. The maternal complication rate was 3.1% while 16 (9.7%) babies were admitted to babies unit with birth asphyxia and other complications which were mainly minor injuries.
Conclusion: The vacuum extractor is an effective and safe device for assisted vaginal delivery with high success rate even in a district hospital. Steps should be taken to encourage the safe use of vacuum assisted vaginal deliveries and it should be made more accessible.