Comparative study of interpregnancy interval and fetomaternal outcome in a tertiary health facility

Background: Ensuring adequate interpregnancy interval enhances optimal maternal and fetal wellbeing while short interpregnancy interval which is interpregnancy interval less than 24 months is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Objectives: To compare pregnancy outcome between short and normal interpregnancy interval at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study involving 410 parturients (268 with short interpregnancy interval and 142 with normal interpregnancy interval) who consented and delivered at the UPTH. A structured proforma was used to obtain relevant information from the parturients. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Pregnancy outcomes which include maternal anaemia, caesarean section rate, uterine rupture, abruption placenta, fetal distress, perinatal mortality between normal interpregnancy interval (NIPI) and short interpregnancy interval (SIPI) were compared using Chi square test and P value less than 0.05 was regarded as significant. Results: The mean age and parity of the study population were 32.59+0.38 and 2.69+0.44 respectively. One hundred and forty-two parturients had NIPI while 268 (65.4%) had SIPI. Parturients with SIPI were 1.4 times more likely to have caesarean delivery (OR=1.36, 95% CI= 0.88-2.11). Maternal anaemia (P = 0.026), abruptio placentae (P = 0.03) and ruptured uterus (P = 0.005) were significantly associated with SIPI. Low birth weight (P=0.1) and fetal demise (P=0.4) were not significantly associated with SIPI. Conclusion: Short interpregnancy interval was associated with significant adverse pregnancy outcome in this study. Ensuring adequate interpregnancy interval will improve outcomes.