Placenta previa: effect of age, gravidity, parity and previous caesarean section.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of maternal age, gravidity, parity, previous abortion and previous caesarean section on placenta previa.

METHODS

We reviewed records of 95 women with placenta previa and compared with 190 women delivered during the same period, all delivering between 16 April 1994 and 15 May 1997. We compared maternal age, parity, gravidity, previous abortion, and previous caesarean section.

RESULTS

Placenta previa is higher among women gravida > 4 (p < 0.002), para > 3 (p < 0.01) and previous caesarean section (p < 0.02). There is no increase in the incidence of placenta previa with increasing maternal age and previous abortion.

CONCLUSION

The risk of placenta previa is increased with higher gravidity, higher parity, previous lower segment caesarean section, while increasing maternal age and previous abortion had no significant effect.