Author(s)

Ayodele Adegbite Olaleye, Johnbosco Ifunanya Nwafor^*, Ikenna Chidi Ebere, Chukwunenye Chukwu Ibo, Darlington-Peter Chibuzor Ugoji, Nobert Chuka Obi, Sunday Uchenna Asogwa, Alfred Nnabugwu Adiele

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Background: The placenta is in a key position to determine the final birth weight of foetuses because adequate placental function is necessary for delivery of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the foetus. The relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates has been reported from several publications but such reports from Abakaliki are lacking in literature. Aim: To determine the relationship between the placental weight and birth weight of the neonates delivered at term at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki. Materials and Method: It was a retrospective study conducted between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2015. The statistical analysis was done using Epi Info software version 7.2.1 (CDC Atlanta Georgia). Result: The mean birth weight was 3344 ± 488 g while the mean placental weight was 617 ± 78 g. The mean placental weight to birth weight ratio (PBWR X 100) was 19.94% ± 4.2%. Increase in birth weight of the neonate was associated with a corresponding increase in placental weight with a strong statistical significance level (P = 0.968). One thousand nine hundred and five (90.5%) patients had PBWR that ranged between 15% and 24%, which was associated with good immediate neonatal outcome. The placental weight to birth weight ratio outside this range was associated with increased admission into NICU and perinatal mortality at an odd ratio of 0.5844 and a statistical significance level (P) of 0.0036. Conclusion: There is a positive correlation between placental weight and birth weight of the neonate. Knowing the PBWR at birth may help to know the foetus at risk of immediate poor neonatal outcome in order to expedite actions to prevent possible poor perinatal outcome.

Placenta, Weight, Birth Weight, Neonate, Abakaliki

Olaleye, A. , Nwafor, J. , Ebere, I. , Ibo, C. , Ugoji, D. , Obi, N. , Asogwa, S. and Adiele, A. (2019) The Relationship between the Weight of the Placenta and Birth Weight of Term Neonate Delivered in Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria. Advances in Reproductive Sciences, 7, 82-93. doi: 10.4236/arsci.2019.74010.