ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine ante-partum maternal risk factors
for intrauterine fetal death.
Methods: We carried out a case control retrospective
study, at the Maternity and Childrens Hospital, Jeddah,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We included all pregnant women
diagnosed as singleton intra-uterine fetal death in the third
trimester with fetal weight of 1500 gm and more, admitted
to the hospital over a 2-year (2001-2002) period (study
group). We examined the following risk factors: diabetes,
hypertension, abruptio-placenta, age, gestational age,
parity, trauma, sepsis, booking, chromosomal abnormality,
previous history of intra-uterine fetal death (IUFD) and
intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). We compared
the results to those pregnant women with live pregnancy
admitted before and after each case (control group).
Results: There were 157 cases of singleton IUFD during
that period. The intra-uterine fetal death rate was 10.1
per 1000 deliveries. In 28% of the cases, we could not
determine the associated risk factors. Among cases there
From the Department of Obstetric and Gynecology (Shaaban, Al-Saleh, Alwa), Maternity and Childrens Hospital, and the Department of Primary
Health Care (Al-Raddadi), Primary Health Care Directorate, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Received 30th April 2005. Accepted for publication in nal form 12th November 2005.
Address correspondence and reprint request to: Dr. Lamia A. Shaaban, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Maternity and Childrens Hospital, PO
Box 13877, Jeddah 21414, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (2) 6673818/6670508. Fax. +966 (2) 6613667. E-mail: lmlm63@hotmail.com.
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Risk factors
Cases
Diabetes mellitus
Hypertension
Abruptio-placenta
Un-booked
Cord accident
Congenital anomaly
Parity
(0-5)
(6-10)
(>10)
Gestational age
(27-31)
(32-36)
(37-41)
(>41)
Intrauterine growth restriction
Previous IUFD
Age
(<20)
(20-30)
(31-40)
(>40)
IUFD
Control
41
46
22
90
47
9
(26.1)
(29.3)
(14)
(57.3)
(56.6)
(5.7)
10
15
2
130
36
0
(3.2)
(4.8)
(0.6)
(41.4)
(43.4)
0
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.001
0.000
0.000
121
34
2
(77.1)
(21.7)
(1.3)
268
44
2
(85.4)
(14)
(0.6)
0.08
16
41
92
8
39
13
(10.2)
(26.1)
(58.6)
(5.1)
(24.8)
(8.3)
3
22
275
14
50
6
(1)
(7.)
(87.6)
(4.5)
(16)
(1.9)
0.000
7
81
61
8
(4.5)
(51.6)
(38.9)
(5.1)
19
202
82
11
(6.1)
(64.3)
(26.1)
(3.5)
0.023
0.022
0.001
OR
CI 95%
12.9
5.5
23.4
2.4
5.1
5.5-30.6
2.4-12.6
4.6-119.3
1.4-4
2.7-9.5
7.01
2.1-23.6
77
78
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