FREQUENCY OF PLACENTA PREVIA IN WOMEN WITH PRIOR CAESAREAN SECTION AND ITS RELATION WITH INCREASING NUMBER OF CAESAREAN SECTIONS AND MATERNAL FACTORS

Background: Placenta praevia is major contributor to obstetrical haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal mortality. Scarred uterus is a risk factor for development of placenta previa. Objective of this study was to determine frequency of placenta previa in women with prior C-section and its relation with previous number of c-sections. Materials & Methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted in PIMS hospital Islamabad from 1st March 2021 to 1st March 2022. Sample size was 307 and sampling technique was consecutive non probability. Our sociodemographic variables were age, gestational age and parity. Our research variables were presence of placenta previa measured on dichotomous scale as yes or no and number of prior caesarean sections. Data was stratified for age, gestational age and parity and compared for presence and absence of placenta praevia. Results were presented as frequency and percentages for each stratum. Chi- square test was used for any significant association of placenta praevia with stratified groups of prior number of caesarean sections, age, gestational age and parity. A P-value <= 0.05 at 95% CL was considered as statistically significant. Results: Placenta previa was observed in 27.7% patients with prior caesarean section. Stratification of placenta previa with respect to age, gestational age, parity and prior number of caesarean sections was done and its association was found to be statistically significant with age, parity and number of previous caesarean section with p value of 0.000 at 95% confidence level. Conclusion: Association of placenta previa was found to be statistically significant with age, parity and number of previous caesarean section and its prevalence was 27.7% in sample.