Abstract: Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Mother Health

Abstract:
Objective: To determine the relationship between maternal ABO blood group and adverse pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Design: This was a prospective case-control study. Setting: This study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AEFUTHA) Population: Participants for this study include patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy who were managed at the AEFUTHA.

Method: Socio-demographic and clinical data were collated at the time of enrolment using a proforma. Data was tabulated and statistically analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 20 Chicago USA. Chi square test (X2) for matched paired studies was used for comparison of categorical variables while student ttest was used for comparison of continuous variables. The association between blood group and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were estimated using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Level of statistical significance was taken as P value < 0.05.

Main Outcome Measures 1. To determine the distribution of ABO blood group among patients with Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and control. 2. Development and severity of preeclampsia among different blood groups. 3. Fetal and maternal complications associated with preeclampsia among different blood groups.

Results: The blood group O was more common among parturients with preeclampsia (58.8%) while blood group AB was least common (2.0%). The study also noted that the participants with blood group O, AB, B, A had an odd ratio of 3.13, 1.00, 0.59 and 0.41 respectively, of developing preeclampsia. Patients with blood group O are also more likely to develop severe pre-eclampsia, although not statistically significant. It was also noted that fetuses of parturients with blood group O are more likely to have reduced Apgar scores, fetal birth weight, and admission into neonatal intensive care unit, more risk of stillbirths and maternal complications, when compared with the non-O blood group. The same pattern was also noticed for pregnancy induced hypertension, with blood group O parturients more likely to develop severe PIH, and poor neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion: The study noted that there is more risk of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and pregnancy induced hypertension) with increased severity, fetal and maternal complication among the O blood group than the non-O blood group. It also noted that O blood group is strongly associated with development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, while non- O blood group have least association with development of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy