Determining the perinatal outcome among women with high risk pregnancies

Khalida Avesi; Huma Baloach; Kouser Fatima; Anila Mujadid Qureshi; Shahneela Moosa; Shabhat e Maryam Syed

doi:10.29052/2413-4252.v7.i1.2021.32-36

Authors

Khalida Avesi Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7334-1197
Huma Baloach Jinnah Medical & Dental College Hospital, Karachi-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3101-972X
Kouser Fatima Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4291-2978
Anila Mujadid Qureshi Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7334-1197
Shahneela Moosa Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College (GMMMC), Sukkur-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6549-0368
Shabhat e Maryam Syed Rehman Psychiatric Hospital, Hyderabad-Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5931-8687

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29052/2413-4252.v7.i1.2021.32-36

Keywords:

High-Risk Pregnancies, Perinatal Outcome, Low Birth Weight, Still-Birth & Early Neonatal Death.

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological process and should ideally yield no morbidity and mortality; however, in some instances, pregnancy becomes a high-risk. A high-risk pregnancy carries significant danger to the fetus and mother before, during and after delivery. The objective of the study was to determine the perinatal outcome among women with high-risk pregnancies.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2015, including 287 women with high-risk pregnancies scheduled to undergo delivery at Liaquat University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Data pertaining to sociodemographic details, gestational, obstetric history, Apgar score and the perinatal outcome was recorded using a pre-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0..

Results: The mean age of the enrolled participants was 29.12 ± 5.46 years. The perinatal outcomes included stillbirths (8%), early neonatal deaths (4.2%), low birth weight (22.6%) and poor Apgar score i.e., < 7 at 1 minute (10.5%) and 5 minutes (3.8%). Stratification revealed a significant risk of poor perinatal outcome (low birth weight) among women aged above 30 years (p-value = 0.002).

Conclusion: It is concluded from the study results that high-risk pregnancies yield poor perinatal outcomes, including stillbirths, low birth weight, early neonatal death and poor Apgar scores.