Clinical significance of singleton pregnancies complicated by placental abruption occurred at preterm compared with those occurred at term.

Objective: This study investigated the clinical significance of placental abruption occurred at preterm compared with those that occurred at term.

Methods: We reviewed the obstetric records of 102 singleton deliveries complicated by placental abruption after 22 weeks of gestation. The χ(2) test for categorical variables was used and differences with p < 0.05 were considered significant. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated.

Results: Of 102 cases of placental abruption, 60 cases (59%) occurred at preterm and 42 (41%) at term. There were no significant differences in perinatal outcomes between the two groups with preterm and term gestations. The incidence of histological chorioamnionitis in the preterm group was significantly higher than that in the term group (crude OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.4-8.2, p < 0.01) while that of placental embolisms and/or infarctions in the preterm group was significantly lower than that in the term group (crude OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.80, p = 0.01). Using logistic regression, preterm placental abruption was significantly more likely in multiparous patients (adjusted OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0-6.2, p = 0.046) and those demonstrating histological chorioamnionitis (adjusted OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.4-9.1, p < 0.01), while term placental abruption was significantly more likely in cases of placental embolisms and/or infarctions (adjusted OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.2-10, p = 0.02).

Conclusion: The current results indicate that the possible processes leading to placental abruption at preterm are different from those at term.