Asian Research Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Background: Abruptio placentae, or placental abruption, is an important cause of antepartum haemorrhage and is associated with considerable maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The adverse consequences may be more pronounced in resource-constrained settings where delayed presentation and limited access to timely obstetric and neonatal care may influence outcomes.

Objective: To determine the prevalence, associated risk factors, clinical pattern, severity, and fetomaternal outcomes of abruptio placentae among women who delivered at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia (FUTHL), North-Central Nigeria.

Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included women diagnosed with abruptio placentae at FUTHL over an 18-month period from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026. The records of all women who delivered during the study period were reviewed, and those diagnosed with abruptio placentae were identified. Relevant socio-demographic, obstetric, clinical, and fetomaternal outcome data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23. Categorical variables were summarised using frequencies and percentages, while continuous variables were expressed as means and standard deviations where appropriate. The prevalence of abruptio placentae was calculated using the total number of deliveries during the study period as the denominator.

Results: Of the 4,002 deliveries during the study period, 61 were complicated by abruptio placentae, giving a prevalence of 1.5%. The mean maternal age was 28.13 ± 5.97 years, with women aged 20–34 years accounting for 75.4% of cases. Multiparous women constituted 60.6% of the study population, while 83.6% were unbooked. Mixed abruption was the predominant clinical type (73.8%), and Grade 1 abruption was the most frequently recorded severity grade (62.3%). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most frequently identified risk factor (45.9%), followed by multiparity (19.7%). Caesarean delivery was performed in 91.8% of cases. Postpartum anaemia (70.5%) and blood transfusion (59.0%) were common maternal complications. Among the 64 babies delivered, prematurity occurred in 57.8%, while 25.4% of the 59 live-born babies required NICU/SCBU admission. There were two maternal deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 3.3%. Seventeen perinatal deaths occurred, corresponding to a perinatal mortality rate of 265.6 per 1,000 births (26.6%).

Conclusion: Abruptio placentae was associated with substantial maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The high proportion of unbooked women and the considerable burden of adverse outcomes underscore the importance of early antenatal care, identification of women at risk, and prompt access to comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal services.