Prevalence and factors associated with less than 24-hour stay at the hospital among postpartum mothers in Mbale regional referral hospital.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Background: A substantial proportion of mothers are discharged from health facilities earlier than the recommended 24- hour postpartum stay, increasing the risk of undetected postpartum complications. The 24- hour stay is considered a critical period for monitoring the mother and newborn allowing for timely identification and management of immediate postpartum complications as recommended by the World Health Organization and Uganda Ministry of Health.
Objective: This study aimed at determining the prevalence and identify factors associated with less than 24-hour hospital stay, among women delivering at MRRH
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among women who delivered vaginally at in postnatal ward of MRRH. The sample size used was 383. Data on maternal demographics, obstetric history, maternal and neonatal outcomes was collected. Logistic regression analyses (both crude and adjusted) was used to assess associations between potential determinants of less than 24-hour stay.
Results: In the study, the prevalence of less than 24- hour stay was 82.8%. The study found significant association between less than 24- hour stay and complications after delivery (AOR=6.76,95%CI: 3.05-15.0, p<0.001), receipt of treatment while in the ward (AOR=3.88, 95%CI: 1.87-8.03, p<0.001), availability of food and water (AOR=0.15,95%CI: 0.04-0.48, p=0.002) and health worker-initiated discharge(AOR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.104-0.617, p=0.002)
Conclusion: At MRRH, the less than 24- hour stay is significantly associated with postpartum complications, receipt of treatment while in the ward, availability of food and water and health worker- initiated discharge. These findings call for interventions aimed at improving ward support services and enforcing adherence to standardized discharge protocols to increase compliance with the recommended 24-hour postpartum stay.
Keywords: hospital stay, 24 hours, postpartum mothers.
Description
This study was about the prevalence and factors associated with less than 24-hour stay at the hospital among postpartum mothers in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.
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Citation
Ramadhan, M. (2026). Prevalence and factors associated with less than 24-hour stay at the hospital among postpartum mothers in Mbale regional referral hospital. (Unpublished undergraduate research report). Busitema University.