Placental Abruption at a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria: A Six-Year Review of Prevalence, Trend and Sociodemographic Characteristics
Authors:   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching HospitalDepartment of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria. , Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria., Wekere Felix C. C. , Inimgba Nestor M. ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pamo University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Nigeria., Justina Ozigbo C. ,   Department of Paediatrics, Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria., Briggs Nduye C. T ,   Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria., . Cookey-Gam Idawarifa F ,   Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria., Ocheche Uduak S. ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pamo University of Medical Sciences, Port Harcourt, Nigeria., Kua Paul L ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria., Leesi Sapira-Ordu ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria., Asikimabo- Ofori Sotonye ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria., S. Abere Peacebe ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria., Nnokam Brenda A. ,   Department of Family Medicine, College of medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria
Published: April 2023

Background: Placental abruption also known as abruptio placentae or accidental haemorrhage, is the second most common cause of antepartum haemorrhage after placenta praevia. The study was aimed at reviewing cases of placental abruption managed at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) over a 6-year period, to determine the prevalence, trend, and sociodemographic/obstetrics factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of all recorded cases of placental abruption managed at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2021. Descriptive statistics were derived using IBM, Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 25.0 Armonk, New York. Results: There were 14,195 deliveries and 68 cases of placental abruption; giving a prevalence of 0.48% or 4.8 per 1000 or 1 in 208 deliveries. The rate of placental abruption per 1000 deliveries increased from 2.0 in 2016 to 8.7 in 2018 and then decreased to 6.2 in 2021. The mean (SD) age and gestational age of the participants were 32.7±4.8, (95%CI: 31.5, 33.9) years and 35.6 ±3.2 (95%CI: 34.8,36.4) weeks. The modal parity was para 1. Over 90% of the participants had emergency caesarean sections. The majority 65(95.6%) of the participants were Christians, 56(82.4%) booked and more than half 37(54.4%) were multipara. Conclusion: The prevalence of placental abruption in RSUTH is 0.48%; with a declining pattern of occurrence. It occurred more among booked multiparous women. This Knowledge will be helpful to Clinicians in management of Placental Abruption.