English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Jaundice in pregnancy contributes to a significant proportion of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in our country. Overall incidence in India is 1 - 4 per 1000 deliveries. There are increased risks of preterm labour, low birth weight babies, meconium-stained liquor, intrauterine fetal death and postpartum haemorrhage. The purpose of this study was to assess the fetomaternal outcome in pregnancy with jaundice in a tertiary level hospital. METHODS This was a two-year retrospective observational study conducted by reviewing the records of jaundice in pregnancy from April 2018 to March 2020. RESULTS Viral hepatitis comes out as the most common cause accounting for 70.37 % of the cases, whereas intrahepatic cholestasis with an incidence of 20. 37 % comes out as the second aetiology. Post-partum haemorrhage is depicted as the major maternal complication whereas prematurity and birth asphyxia come out as the major perinatal complications. CONCLUSIONS The present study projects viral hepatitis (Hepatitis A and E) as the major cause of jaundice in pregnancy. Although low maternal mortality has been recorded in the present study, a high perinatal mortality due to low birth weight and birth asphyxia remains to be a matter of major concern. KEY WORDS Jaundice in Pregnancy, Viral Hepatitis, Postpartum Haemorrhage, Prematurity, Birth Asphyxia