Low-lying placenta in Basra : fetomaternal outcome

Abstract EN

Objective : to study the maternal and foetal complications of low-lying placenta at the main referral hospital in Basrah.

Methods : this is a case control study of 598 pregnant women attended the ultrasound department at Basra Maternity and Child Hospital, from December 1998 to June 2000 ; 182 cases with low-lying placenta and 416 control.

Results : when the low-lying placenta compared with the control group, there is a significant increase in the incidence of obstetrical and neonatal complications.

These include abortion, preterm labour, abnormal lie, and presentation, caesarean section, postpartum hemorrhage and caesarean hysterectomy.

Neonatal complications include preterm babies, babies with low birth weight and Apgar score.

Perinatal deaths mainly caused by Respiratory Distress Syndrome constitute 6.9 %.

Type I and II praevia carries a lower risk of antenatal, postnatal, and foetal complications than type III and IV.

There was no maternal death among the study group.

Conclusion : low lying placenta, especially major degree, have a high incidence of obstetrical complications, the most important of which are preterm labour and massive ante-partum and postpartum hemorrhage.

There is increased incidence of neonatal complications, mainly prematurity, small for gestational age and perinatal deaths.

There was no relation noted between placenta praevia and congenital anomalies of the newborns.