A Clinical Study on Pyrexia in Pregnancy with Special Emphasis on Fetomaternal Outcome

Aim- Since fever in pregnency is a common clinical problem with bearing on both the mother and her fetus, therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the fetomaternal outcome in pregnency with pyrexia. Materials & Methods- 185 Pregnant women with fever were enrolled in this prospective, hospital based study. Patients with fever dueto septic abortions & blood transfusions were excluded. After clinical examination and routine investigations necessary to detect the underlying cause of fever were done and noted, they were followed throughout the pregnancy, labour and puerperal periods and maternal complications along with adverse fetal outcomes in terms of preterm delivery, perinatal death, low birth weight, low APGAR score at 5 mintues, NICU admissions were noted. The frequency of maternal morbidity and complications was compared according to their age, parity, and period of gestation. Results- Malaria was found to be leading cause of pyrexia among pregnant women (28 %), followed by dengue (20 %), UTI, viral hepatitis and respiratory tract infections. Both maternal & fetal complications were higher in pregnancies complicated with fever. Preterm labour and preterm birth, low APGAR score and NICU admission were the most common perinatal complications. Conclusion- In our study we found that pyrexia in pregnency caused a wide range of maternal and fetal complications and morbidity.