BACKGROUND
The prevalence of Placenta Accreta Spectrum(PAS) is increasing rapidly linked with the cesarean rate increase worldwide, creating a threatening condition from severe postpartum hemorrhage to various maternal morbidities. The socio-economic imbalance, geographical, qualification, and specialty variations of the previous cesarean delivery healthcare facilities resulted in assessment and management difficulties.
OBJECTIVE
To assess variations of prior cesarean delivery healthcare facilities on pregnancy outcomes on current PAS with Placenta Previa.
METHODS
This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary referral center from Nov.2015 to Nov.2020 in central China. Healthcare facilities were classified by geographical, hospital grading, ownership, and specialty variations. The primary outcome was postpartum hemorrhage(PPH), secondary outcomes included Placenta Percreta and maternal-fetal morbidities.
RESULTS
In total, 252 patients were enrolled, 58(23%) patients had Placenta Accreta, 131(52%) had Placenta Increta and 63(25%) had Placenta Percreta. The overall incidence of PPH was 47.2%(119 out of 252). As the administrative geographical level becoming smaller and more distant, PPH incidence climbed up: province-level(10, 32.3%), prefecture-level(65, 48.5%), county-level(30, 42.3%), and rural township(14, 82.5%), P for trend= 0.019. The odds of PPH in rural township clinics was 5.84(P=0.03, 95%CI 1.18~28.77) compared to the province-level hospitals. Similarly, when hospital grades declined, PPH incidence raised: tertiary(26, 39.4%), secondary(28, 43.8%), primary(14, 38.9%) and unclassified(51, 59.3%), P for trend= 0.047. Unclassified hospitals had 2.16(P= 0.046, 95%CI 1.02~4.61) times odds of PPH compared to tertiary medical centers. PPH showed no statistical significance based on ownership or specialty variations. Also, Placenta Percreta increased when geographical location shifted from urban to rural: three (9.7%) from province-level, 34(25.6%) from prefecture-level, 18(25.4%) from county-level and eight(47.1%) from rural township clinics, P= 0.04, P for trend =0.018. Patients with previous rural township clinics cesarean delivery had a 7.49 times risk((P=0.011, 95%CI 1.59~35.19) of developing Placenta Percreta compared with province-level hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare facilities variations of the previous cesarean delivery have upcoming impacts on subsequent pregnancy. The tendency of experiencing adverse maternal outcomes is more significant with prior cesarean in the rural township clinics and unclassified hospitals. The findings call for physicians’ alertness, persistent efforts in urban-rural disparity reduction, and measures to achieve equitable management.