Jaundice in pregnancy aetiology, management and mortality at Enugu, Nigeria
Megafu, U.
East African Medical Journal 58(7): 501-509
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X PMID: 7308109 Document Number: 182495
73 pregnant Nigerian (Ibo) women presenting with jaundice at various stages of gestation between January 1974-December 1979 have been studied prospectively. The incidence of jaundice in pregnancy was 3.45/1000 births or 1.289. Viral hepatitis was found to be the most common cause of jaundice in pregnancy (68.5%of the total). Contrary to the report from Ibadan in western Nigeria, acute malarial infection was not a significant cause of jaundice in pregnancy. Maternal mortality was 16.9% and perinatal mortality was 24.6%. Maternal mortality increased with the severity of the jaundice, and all the deaths occurred in the last trimester. It was also found that in severe cases, induction of labor decreased maternal mortality. Prematurity and intrauterine death of the fetus were responsible for the high perinatal mortality.