Obstructed labor and associated factors among laboring women, Northeast Ethiopia.

Introduction: Obstructed labor is still the major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, and adverse birth outcomes in low-income countries. This study aims to assess obstructed labour and associated factors among laboring women in Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 183 labouring mothers at Mekane Selam Primary Hospital in Northeast, Ethiopia. A random sampling method was employed to recruit a sampled chart from labour and delivery register through lottery methods. The adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to calculate the strength of the association between obstructed labour and independent predictors. Variables with P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Result: The prevalence of obstructed labour was 14.8% [95% CI: 9.9-19.8], which significantly associated with primiparity [AOR =14.79, 95% CI: (1.78, 122.69)], mothers who stayed from 12-24 hours and >24 hours before visiting hospital [ AOR =5.908, 95% CI (1.438, 24.275)], [AOR=8.49, 95% CI:(1.045, 69.001], respectively and mothers who got intervention in > 8 hours after arrival in health setting [AOR=6.40, 95% CI (1.310, 31.229). Conclusion: Obstructed labour was high among mothers who gave birth at Mekane Selam General Hospital. Factors like time of arrival to intervention, parity, and duration of labour before visiting the hospital (12-24 Hrs’ and >24 hrs) were significantly associated with obstructed labor in multivariable analysis. Government and health professionals should emphasize system of prevention and reduction of these risk factors.