Problems associated with urethral catheterization after caesarean section at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Urethral catheterization is routinely done during and after caesarean section (CS), due to the expected benefits. Intraoperatively, it is used to improve visualization and minimize intraoperative bladder injury, by maintaining continuous bladder drainage. In the postoperative period, it used for urinary output assessment, prevention of urine retention which may lead to primary postpartum haemorrhage, and for the comfort of the patient in the immediate post-operative period. This age-long procedure has however been noted to be customary rather than evidence based; hence there is no clear recommendation on the duration of catheterization after CS, which varies amongst obstetricians. Furthermore, due to its invasive nature, the procedure is a potential threat to patients’ safety, potentially contributing to maternal morbidity following CS. The aim of this study is to establish the association between the duration of urethral catheterization and post-caesarean section morbidity at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.