The prevalent adverse delivery complications during the Sudan armed conflict 2023-2025

Authors

Samira M Ahmed¹, Nazik Abdallah Ahmed Saad², Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed^3,4

Affiliations

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kordofan, EL-Obeid, Sudan.

²Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kordofan, EL-Obeid, Sudan.

³Prof Medical Research Consultancy Center, El-Obeid, Sudan.

⁴Department of Histopathology and Cytology, University of Khartoum, Sudan.

ABSTRACT

Edited By: Eldisugi Hassan M. Humida Kordofan University, El-Obeid, Sudan Reviewed by: - Alfatih Mohamed Ahmed Alnajib University of Hail, Saudi Arabia - Khalid Nasralla Habeeballa Hashim Qassim University, Buryddah, Saudi Arabia Correspondence to: Samira M Ahmed. Email: Samirra4ever4@gmail.com Received on: 2/11/2025 Accepted on: 5/12/2025 Published on: 10/12/2025 Citation Ahmed SM et al. The prevalent adverse delivery complications during the Sudan armed conflict 2023-2025; Medical Research Updates Journal 2025;3(4): 1-11. doi.org/10.70084/mruj.0001.P134.

Background: The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has severely compromised maternity outcomes, increasing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify the common unfavourable delivery complications during the Sudan armed conflict of 2023-2025. Methodology: This study was a retrospective descriptive analysis conducted at El-Obeid Teaching Hospital for Women and Maternity in North Kordofan State, Sudan. Information regarding women who experienced birth-related complications from May 2023 to May 2025 was obtained from hospital records. Results: Among the 320 women, 169 (52.8%) underwent vaginal assisted delivery, while the rest, 151 (47.2%), had caesarean sections. Obstructed labor was encountered by 112 out of 320 (35%) women, of whom 62 out of 169 (36.8%) underwent vaginal delivery and 50 out of 151 (33%) underwent cesarean section. Identical values were documented for eclampsia. Retained placenta occurred in 103 out of 320 cases (32.2%), with 57 out of 169 (33.7%) being vaginal deliveries and 46 out of 151 (30.5%) being cesarean deliveries. Uterine rupture occurred similarly to retained placenta. Postpartum hemorrhage was observed in 105 out of 320 cases (32.8%), comprising 50 out of 169 vaginal deliveries (29.6%) and 55 out of 151 cesarean sections (36.4%). Conveyance Sepsis occurred similarly to postpartum hemorrhage. Conclusion: Complications including obstructed labor, eclampsia, retained placenta, uterine rupture, postpartum hemorrhage, and sepsis are particularly prevalent among Sudanese mothers within the context of wartime circumstances.