LAUSR

Address for Correspondence: Dr. A.D. Russa, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P. O. Box 65001, Dares Salaam, Tanzania. Tel: +255 755 524 771, Fax: +255 22 2150465. E-Mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Background: The placenta is a feto-maternal organ that supports pregnancy. It forms from second week of pregnancy and is fully functional by the fourth month. The quality of placenta greatly influences the pregnancy, labor and postnatal life. In Tanzania studies on the intrauterine growth, the placenta and their effect on birth outcome are scant. The present study aimed at assessing the effect of placental weight and number of cotyledons to the fetal birth outcome as represented by the fetal birth weight and Apgar scores. Materials and Methods: This involved 102 near term pregnant women and their newborns at the Mwananyamala hospital in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Expectant mothers within the age 15-49 years with smooth pregnancy and within the gestation age between 37-42 weeks were followed for the birth outcome during labor. At birth the fetal weight, sex, Apgar scores, placental weight and cotyledon count were recorded. A Pearson correlation coefficient R was calculated and a p-value d” 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Mean fetal birth weight was 3.2kg ± 0.5kg and the mean placental weight was 579.7g ± 142. The average placental-to-fetal weight ratio was 1:5.5. The number of cotyledons ranged between 11 and 26 with a mean count of 17.8 ± 4.0. The mean 1st and 5th minute Apgar scores were 7.8±0.8 and 9.3±0.7 respectively. Placental weight was positively correlated with the fetal weight (R=0.65, p value=0.00) and the heavier the placenta the higher the number of cotyledons (R=0.61, p value=0.00). The gestational age at term did not influence the fetal birth weight (R= 0.06; p= 0.54), the placental weight (R= 0.07; p= 0.49), the cotyledon count (R= 0.01; p= 0.91), Apgar 1st min (R= 0.06; p=0.55) and the Apgar 5th min (R= 0.09, p=0.38). Fetal weight was not associated with both the Apgar 1st min (R= 0.11; p=0.27) and the Apgar 5th min (R= -0.07, p=0.51). Conclusion: The placental weight and cotyledon count are associated with the birth weight by 65% and 55% respectively and both can be clinically used in the prediction of birth outcomes.