Postpartum Hemorrhage in Pregnancy beyond 40 Weeks of Gestation in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as a blood loss of 500ml or more within 24 hours after birth. It is the leading cause of maternal mortality in low-income countries and the primary cause of nearly one-quarter of all maternal deaths globally. It occurs in up to 18% of total births. Post-dated pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy with increased maternal morbidity. This study aims to determine the prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage in pregnancy beyond 40 weeks of gestation in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women beyond 40 weeks in Dhulikhel hospital from October 2016 to March 2017. The study was conducted after ethical clearance from the hospital research committee (reference number#128/16). The sample size was calculated and convenient sampling was done. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences is used for analysis. Point estimate at 95% confidence interval was calculated along with frequency and percentage for binary data. Results: Out of 465 ladies enrolled in this study postpartum hemorrhage was seen in 6 (1.29%) (95% Confidence Interval = 0.267-2.31), and the mean age was 24.25+4.8. About 346 (74.4%) had a normal delivery, 104 (22.36%) had cesarean section and 15 (3.22%) had instrumental delivery. Conclusions: Postpartum haemorrhage prevalence is low among the pregnant women beyond 40 weeks compared to the standard study. Postpartum hemorrhage is the common leading cause of maternal mortality. So high-risk cases should be identified and active management should be done to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Keywords

• complication; postpartum hemorrhage; pregnancy.