Epidemiology

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Evidence of placental haemorrhage and preterm delivery

  1. JW Gargano1,
  2. CB Holzman1,
  3. PK Senagore2,
  4. ML Reuss3,
  5. DR Pathak1,4,
  6. MA Williams5,6,
  7. R Fisher7

Article first published online: 14 JAN 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2009.02472.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 117, Issue 4, pages 445–455, March 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Gargano, J., Holzman, C., Senagore, P., Reuss, M., Pathak, D., Williams, M. and Fisher, R. (2010), Evidence of placental haemorrhage and preterm delivery. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 117: 445–455. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2009.02472.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Epidemiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

  2. 2

    Division of Human Pathology, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

  3. 3

    Southwest Women’s Sonography, Albuquerque, NM

  4. 4

    Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

  5. 5

    Center for Perinatal Studies, Seattle, WA

  6. 6

    Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA

  7. 7

    Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

*Dr CB Holzman, B601 West Fee Hall, East Lansing, 48824 MI, USA. Email: holzman@msu.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 FEB 2010
  2. Article first published online: 14 JAN 2010
  3. Accepted 16 November 2009. Published Online 14 January 2010.

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (191K)

Keywords:

  • Bleeding;
  • placental abruption;
  • placental pathology;
  • pregnancy outcomes;
  • preterm delivery

Please cite this paper as: Gargano J, Holzman C, Senagore P, Reuss M, Pathak D, Williams M, Fisher R. Evidence of placental haemorrhage and preterm delivery. BJOG 2010;117:445–455.

Objective  To evaluate evidence of placental haemorrhage (PH) obtained through maternal interviews, patient charts and placental pathology examinations as potential indicators of a ‘bleeding pathway’ to preterm delivery (PTD).

Design  Prospective cohort.

Setting  Fifty-two clinics in five communities in Michigan, USA (1998–2004).

Population  A subset (n = 996) of cohort participants with complete placental pathology data.

Methods  First-trimester bleeding and placental abruption were ascertained by mid-trimester interviews and chart review, respectively. Disc-impacting blood clot was defined as a gross placental examination finding of a blood clot impacting adjacent tissue. Microscopic haemorrhage was defined as ‘high’ (top quintile) scores on an aggregate measure of placental pathology findings suggestive of atypical maternal vessel haemorrhage. These four PH indicators were compared with one another and with risk of PTD assessed by logistic regression analyses.

Main outcome measures  Preterm delivery and PTD subtypes (i.e. <35 weeks, 35–36 weeks; spontaneous, medically indicated) compared with term deliveries.

Results  Placental abruption cases had 2.3-fold to 5.5-fold increased odds of the other three PH indicators. Disc-impacting blood clots and microscopic haemorrhage were associated with one another (odds ratio [OR] = 4.6), but not with first-trimester bleeding. In a multivariable model that included all four PH indicators and confounders, risk of PTD < 35 weeks was elevated with first-trimester bleeding (OR = 1.9 [1.0, 3.4]), placental abruption (OR = 5.2 [1.7, 16.2]), disc-impacting blood clots (OR = 2.3 [1.0, 5.0]) and microscopic haemorrhage (OR = 2.4 [1.4, 4.2]).

Conclusions  Multiple clinical and subclinical PH indicators are associated with PTD, particularly early PTD.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (191K)