FREQUENCY OF ANTENATAL COMPLICATIONS AMONG GRAND MULTIPAROUS WOMEN

Abstract

Background: Identifying antenatal complications in this group remains crucial to improving obstetric outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of antenatal complications among grand multiparous women presenting at a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Conducted at a tertiary care hospital (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saidu group of teaching hospital, Swat, Pakistan). Duration of Study: 11-October-2024 to 11-April-2025. Methods: A total of 164 grand multiparous women aged 25 to 40 years, with gestational ages beyond 28 weeks, were included. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <11 g/dL with clinical symptoms such as pallor or dizziness. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) was defined as new-onset hypertension ≥140/90 mmHg on two readings without proteinuria. Placenta previa was diagnosed via ultrasound, showing placental coverage of the cervical os. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to evaluate frequencies and associations. Results: The mean age of participants was 32.4 ± 4.8 years. Anemia was the most frequent complication (65.9%), followed by pregnancy-induced hypertension (20.7%) and placenta previa (15.9%). No statistically significant associations were observed between complications and patient demographics. Conclusion: Grand multiparity continues to pose substantial antenatal risks, particularly anemia (65.9%), PIH (20.7%), and placenta previa (15.9%). Targeted antenatal monitoring and early interventions are recommended to reduce maternal morbidity in this high-risk population.