High-Risk Pregnancy and its Outcome among Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Abha, Saudi Arabia
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- Category: Vol. 81, December 2013
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High-Risk Pregnancy and its Outcome among Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Abha, Saudi Arabia, AESHA FARHEEN
Abstract
Background: Pregnancy can be complicated by presence of risk factors. These risk factors are detrimental to maternal and fetal health and can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Objectives: To identify distribution of at-risk cases in the risk subgroups; To compare the selected outcomes in the risk group with the non-risk group women; and To compare dif-ferences in outcome within the risk subgroups.
Material and Methods: A Cross-sectional study was carried out on women who had already delivered during 2012. Their records were studied to classify them into various risk sub-groups. Selected outcomes (Caesarean section, abortion and birth weight) were compared between the risk and non-risk group as well as within the risk subgroups.
Results: Most women had a single risk factor in current (40.1%) or in previous pregnancy (31.5%). Multiple risk factors were found in (16.1%) of women. Women with risk in current pregnancy had significantly higher rate of abortion (91.7%). They also had higher rate of low birth weight (55.8%) and macrosomic babies (42.8%). Higher rate of delivery by Caesarean section (50.9%) was found in women with risk in previous pregnancies.
Conclusions: Having a risk factor in a previous pregnancy leads to a higher rate of Caesarean section. Having a risk factor in the current pregnancy increases the probability of abortion, and delivering low birth weight or high birth weight babies.