Placental weight and its association with maternal and early neonatal characteristics in singleton pregnancies in Rwanda

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the relationship between placental weight and maternal complications and short term neonatal outcomes in singleton pregnancies in a Rwandan birth cohort. Methods We performed prospective study involving pregnant women and their newborns presenting for delivery at 3 large hospitals in Kigali with singleton pregnancies from 28weeks gestational age over a one year period. Results There were 1000 mothers and 1000 babies analyzed during the study period. The mean maternal age was 29.14± 5.90years with the majority being: Multigravida (62.1%) and term (78.8%). Pregnancy complications were present in 31.3%. The mean placental weight was 617.4± 161.63gm with no significant difference between males and females. There was a positive significant correlation between placental weight and birth weight at 37 to 41 gestational weeks in mothers with complications. There was also a significant correlation ( r=0.959, p =0.001) at 32 weeks in mother without complications. Low placenta weight/birth weight ratio was significantly associated with poor neonatal outcomes including NICU admission and low Apgars.There was a statistically significant difference in placental weight between stillbirth and healthy babies. Conclusion: Placental weight has a strong association with maternal complications and short term neonatal outcomes in Rwanda. Given the lack of availability of pathologic evaluation of the placenta, this simple measurement may aid in the evaluation of perinatal outcomes.