Publication:

A study of feto-maternal outcome in bleeding per vaginum in first trimester of pregnancy

Background Bleeding per vaginum in the first trimester is a common obstetric entity. Four major causes of pathological bleeding in 1st trimester are miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, implantation bleeding of pregnancy and cervical pathology. The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the effect of first trimester vaginal bleeding on maternal and perinatal outcomes in the local population to which our hospital serves. Objective of this study was to estimate the degree of association between first-trimester bleeding and miscarriage, pregnancy outcomes in women with threatened abortion, various maternal complications and outcome of labor in pregnancy complicated by first-trimester bleeding and adverse fetal outcomes affected with first trimester bleeding.

Methods This prospective observational study was carried out on 110 women attending hospital with history of first trimester vaginal bleeding at a tertiary health center - sola civil hospital Ahmedabad for a period of twelve months.

Results Majority (69%) of first trimester bleeding occurs in age group of 21-30 years and majority of patients were primigravida constituting 53% out of 110 patients, 48 patients presented with abortions, out of which 26 had threatened abortion and 22 had other abortions. Primi para with previous history of bleeding per vaginum had more chances to go in full term in present pregnancy.

Conclusions Patients presenting with heavy bleeding per vaginum ended up in pregnancy loss and thus a poor outcome. In the presence of sub-chorionic hematoma, the prognosis of pregnancy is greatly affected as the risk of pre-term, IUGR and especially miscarriages increase significantly.