A Seven Year Clinical Review of Macrosomic Births in Calabar

Abstract

Pregnancies associated with fetal macrosomia in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, over a seven years period were studied. The aims were to establish the incidence of fetal macrosomia and possible risk factors associated with macrosomic births. The incidence of macrosomic births was 4.0% or 1 in 25 deliveries. Mean maternal age was 27.2 years. About 58% of women were para 5 and above. Sex ratio of babies showed a male predominance of 2.1 to 1. History of previous macrosomic birth was obtained in 28.0% of cases. Maternal weight greater than 90kg was observed in 31.4%, gestational diabetes in 2.6% and post-term pregnancies in 9.6% of cases. Main disorder of labour were obstructed labour (14.4%) and prolonged second stage of labour (5.2%). The use of instrumental vaginal delivery was significantly higher in macrosomic than in non-macrosomic births (x² = 14.34 p=0.0001). However the use of abdominal delivery in macrosomic birth was not significantly higher than in non-macrosomic births (x²=0.22 p=0.6415). Fetal macrosomia is a cause of peri-natal morbidity and mortality in Calabar. There is a call for a high index of suspicion whatever the identified risk factors are present.

Key Words: Fetal macrosomia, incidence, and associated risks.

Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol.4(1) 2004: 32-36