Antenatal morbidity experiences and pregnancy outcome in a cohort of  women – a community based study

Objective
To describe the antenatal morbidities experienced by a community cohort of mother and to describe the available pregnancy outcomes of the same cohort of mothers

Methodology
A community based sample of mothers resident in two Medical Officer of Health areas in Colombo district were identified before 10 weeks of pregnancy and followed up until delivery. At the time of recruitment, height, weight, and haemoglobin levels were measured and a clinical examination and basic investigations were done. Morbidity during pregnancy, pregnancy outcome and birth related information was obtained in a sample of women using three interviewers administered and one self-administered questionnaires.

Results
Anaemia was the commonest condition (26.2%) during pregnancy with respiratory diseases being reported among 5.2%, heart disease in 1.4%, infections of the urinary tract and genital tract among 2.5% and 2.7%. Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Induced Hypertension were observed in 4.6% and 9.5% of pregnant mothers respectively with oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios being present among 4.7% and 2.7 %. Pregnancy weight gain of less than 10 kg was seen among 55.8% of mothers. The pregnancy wastage rate was 4.9% and among the singleton pregnancies only 65.5% were normal vaginal deliveries while 14.7% were low birth weight new-borns.

Conclusions
Anaemia, low BMI, pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational diabetes was the commonest conditions observed in the cohort.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i1.7622

Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka Vol.19(1) December 2013 18-26