Unfavourable Foetal Pregnancy Outcomes among Primigravida Women in Erbil City of Iraq

Background and Objectives: Pregnancy carries certain health risks for both the women and the infant she bears. This study was done to measure the rates of certain unfavourable foetal pregnancy outcomes among primigravidae and to determine their association with maternal socio-demographic characteristics, pregnancy risk factors and with antenatal care services. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 400 primigravidae women at the labour room of the maternity teaching hospital in Erbil city. Data were collected about three main unfavourable fetal pregnancy outcomes: low birth weight, stillbirth, and preterm delivery. Data collection was carried out through direct interview with women using especially designed questionnaire. Results: The rates of the low birth weight, stillbirth, and preterm delivery were: 5.9%, 1.8%, and 8.8%, respectively. Low birth weight was associated with lower maternal education (P=0.009), increased psychosocial stress (P=0.023), lower number of antenatal care visits (P<0.001), late first antenatal care visit (P=0.015), ferrofolic supplementation (P=0.011), anaemia (P<0.001), and lower gestational age (P<0.001). Stillbirth was associated with lower number of antenatal care visits (P=0.005) and lower gestational age (P<0.001). Preterm delivery was associated with increased psychosocial stress (P=0.006), lower number of antenatal care visits (P<0.001), anaemia (P=0.001) and low birth weight (P<0.001). Conclusion: The rates of unfavourable foetal pregnancy outcomes in primigravida women are within the range of those reported in other parts of Iraq and neighboring countries, with inconsistency in the risk factors associated with various unfavourable foetal pregnancy outcomes.