AFJOG

African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | 2024 | 23 ORIGINAL RESEARCH African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | 2024 | High risk of major placenta praevia presents deleterious effects on Maternal and foetal outcomes. was attributed to higher prevalence of APH. In this study more than 85% neonates delivered with an APGAR score of >7 at one minute and five minutes. A study by Kassem et al 12 found a low APGAR score during the first minute but an improvement in the fifth minute with only 4.1% neonates recording APGAR score of < 7 at 5 minutes. The overall good APGAR score can be assigned to high rate of planned elective C/S, late preterm and term deliveries. A retrospective cohort study by Rao and et al reported 21% of infants had RDS compared to the results of the current study (10.5%); they concurred with those of ASicioglu et al. Finding from Baloch et al (16%) were slightly increased than in the current study. This significant number of infants born with RDS was related to higher rate of APH observed in their study. All patients diagnosed with major PP were admitted in antenatal ward at 28-week gestation for antenatal corticosteroid prophylaxis to enhance foetal lung maturity. This partially contributed to lower rate of RDS (10.5%). It was concluded from this study that only 2.3% of infants developed IVH. Similar results (2.9%) were reported by ASicioglu et al in their research. This may be the result of small number of very low birth weight at delivery, the use of antenatal corticosteroid prophylaxis and Magnesium Sulphate for neuroprotection. The current study also illustrated that 12.8% of infants required admission into NICU. This contrasted against investigations by Varlas et al where it was 8.3%. Shu- Yu et al reported a higher rate of neonate transferred in NICU (50.6%), which was associated with increased APH, prematurity and low birth weight as risk factors. Intrauterine growth restriction incidence in this study was lower (3.5%), compared to the findings of Baloch et al (6%). A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Balayla et al54 pointed out a mild increase in the risk of IUGR. One unexplored fresh stillbirth was reported in this study resulting in stillbirth rate of 11.6 per 1000 births. This figure is lower than that of the national (South Africa) stillbirth rate ranging between 18 to 26 per 1000 births. 40 42 CONCLUSION: Placenta praevia remains a major obstetric problem which warrants timeous identification at risk of this condition. Early referral of patients from the feeder hospitals will minimize both maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. Adequate training of professional medical personnel is essential. Medical doctors must have appropriate surgical skills to minimize intrapartum complications and need for blood transfusion to these patients. REFERENCES ¸ £ ¸ µ £ ¦ ¦ £ ² £ ¡ ¸ £ £ ¦ ¸ ¬ ® ® § ¢ « £ ¦ £ ¡ ¢ µ ¦ « ¦ ¦ ¦ ¸ ¡ ¦ £ £ ¡ ¦ ¸ ¡ ¤ ¹ ¥¤ ¥ ¡ ¦¦ ¦ ¨ £ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¡ ® ¢ ® ¬ § ¬ ¢ ® § ® « º º ¡ » ¼ » § º º ½ £££