Relationship between placenta weight and birth weight at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa

Abstract

Undisputedly, the placenta and umbilical cord have been considered to fundamentally contribute to perinatal outcome. Unfortunately, robust reports on this in our setting are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the placenta weight and birth weight of the neonate at term pregnancy in a Tertiary Hospital in the Niger Delta. This was a cross sectional study of labour ward patients in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Nigeria, conducted from 1^st of April 2017 to the 1^st of August 2017. Data on maternal age, parity, gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, birth weight, freshly delivered untrimmed placental weight and birth weight were collected from four hundred and eighty-six (486) parturients who met the inclusion criteria and were recruited consecutively. The data was processed using SPSS windows version 22.P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean age of respondents was 28.6 + 5 years. The mean placenta weight was 543 g + 79 and birth weight was 3096 g + 600. The mean Placenta – Birth Weight Ratio (PBWR) was 17.5%. Placenta weight was positively correlated with birth weight (P<0.05). There was positive relationship between placenta weight and birth weight which was negligible notwithstanding. However, careful examination of the placenta and baby at birth is recommended.

Keywords: Placenta weight, birth weight, placenta – birth weight ratio, perinatal outcome, Yenagoa