Is there any relationship between ABO/Rh blood group and patients with pre-eclampsia?

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between pre-eclampsia and blood groups in a group of pregnant women hospitalized in a University Hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil -Hospital São Lucas (HSL)/PUCRS. Study design: Our sample consisted of 10.040 pregnant women admitted to the maternity department of HSL between 2005 and 2010. The patients were reviewed retrospectively for inclusion. Medical records of 414 women were diagnosed as preeclampsia/eclampsia and were identified 9611 women to the control group. The patients were divided into two groups: the group with preeclampsia/eclampsia and the control group, and their blood groups were considered. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 17.0. Categorical data were summarized by counts and percentages, with the statistical significance evaluated by the Chi-square test. The null hypothesis was rejected when p<0.05. Main outcome measures: Maternal parameters were compared between control group and pre-eclampsia, respectively, Systolic Blood Pressure (117±19,98 vs. 165±19,99); Diastolic Blood Pressure (73±14,23 vs. 106±14,24) and maternal weight at booking (73± 33 vs. 83± 33). For all data: mean+SD; P<0.05. In relation to blood groups, firstly they were stratified by Rh and ABO phenotypes, separately. After that the groups were stand together Results: No differences in blood group distribution were observed between controls and pre-eclampsia for any analysis. (p>0.05). Conclusions: When we adopted stricter criteria for pre-eclampsia and a large sample from the same region we noted that the results did not show any association between blood groups and the development of pre-eclampsia

Maternal mortality in the last triennium of the Millennium Development Goal Era at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of Nigeria remains high. This retrospective study aims to suggest evidence-based strategies towards achieving the sustainable development goal target 3.1 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC), Nigeria by providing contemporary data on MMR between October 2012 and September 2015. There were 86 maternal deaths and 5243 live births over the triennium, with annual MMRs of 1744, 1622 and 1512/100,000 live births, respectively. Fifty-six (65.2%) were postpartum deaths, while 44 (51.2%) occurred within 12 hours of admission. Using the WHO ICD-10 system, the causes of mortality were pregnancy-related infections; 26 (30.2%), haemorrhage; 20 (23.3%), hypertension; 13 (15.2%) and pregnancies with abortive outcomes; 11 (12.7%). Financial constraints, misdiagnosis and delayed referrals constituted the predominant contributors. The MMR at OAUTHC, Nigeria in the last triennium of the MDG was ‘Extremely High’. Improved aseptic techniques, blood transfusion services, antimicrobial sensitivity evaluation, Universal Health Coverage, training-retraining of skilled birth-attendants and effective referral systems are advocated.IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on the subject of the paper: Nigeria now contributes the largest proportion (19%) of the burden of maternal mortality worldwide, despite constituting just 2% of the global population. Reversing this adverse trend during the sustainable development goal (SDG) period demands effective strategies, which can only be predicated on reliable data at the hospital, regional and national levels. What this study adds: This article provides the contemporary maternal mortality data of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, during the last triennium of the Millennium Development Goal era. The findings from the study revealed that the average maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of the Hospital over the three years was 1640/100,000 live births, and that pregnancy-related infection is now the leading cause of maternal death, followed by obstetric haemorrhage. What the implications are for clinical practice: Improvement in aseptic techniques, evaluation of antimicrobial sensitivity patterns and efficient blood transfusion services, as well as Universal Health Insurance coverage and Skilled Birth Attendants will improve the maternal health indices of the hospital, and ultimately the country during the SDG execution period