Keywords
macrosomia
complications
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Fetal macrosomia has been the subject of several studies with a view to identifying the maternal risk factors and obstetric complications. There is a paucity of data on the neonatal complications.
Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of macrosomia in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), its contribution to neonatal admission and the morbidities in neonatal life.
Subjects and methods: It was a descriptive, predominantly retrospective five year study from 2011 to 2015.
Results: There were 3,644 deliveries, out of which 290 were macrosomic, giving a prevalence of 8.0%. The mean birth weight for the macrosomic infants was 4.39 ± 0.43 (range 4-6.1) kg and the males were significantly more than the females. The contribution of macrosomia to neonatal admissions was 6%. The most prevalent neonatal morbidities in the present study were hypoglycemia (22.2%), jaundice (20.4%) and respiratory distress (18.5%). Other morbidities observed were sepsis (11.1%), asphyxia (10.2%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (3.7%) and Erb’s palsy (3.7%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of macrosomia was in the range found globally, it was an important cause of admission and the spectrum of neonatal morbidities was more than previously described.