Pregnancy outcomes in Grand multiparous women: Does parity matter? A comparative study

Background: Grand multiparity is still a common condition in developing countries. Although older literature showed the effect of grand multiparity on adverse pregnancy, recent reports fail to show clear evidence on the contribution of grand multiparity to adverse outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to compare maternal and perinatal outcomes in grand multiparous and low multiparous women in Southern Ethiopia. Methods: Comparative cross-sectional study design was employed from February to June 2018. Four hundred sixty-one (461) mothers were included in the study. Data were collected using structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and extracting from patient charts. Data were analyzed using STATA version 14. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were computed. Statistically significant variables were declared at P-value less than 0.05. Results: Of the study participants, 39% (95% CI: 34.6%-43.5%) and nearly one-fourth (24.9%) (95% CI: 21.1%-29.1%) of them had at least one adverse maternal and perinatal outcome, respectively. Anemia and cesarean delivery were the most frequently encountered maternal outcomes in grand and low multiparous women, respectively. Stillbirth was reported higher in grand multiparas. When adjusted for other socio-demographic and obstetric variables, parity did not show a statistically significant difference in both maternal and perinatal outcomes. Conclusion and recommendations: Parity did not show a statistically significant difference in both adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Many adverse pregnancy outcomes reported higher in grand multiparous women. Comprehensive obstetric care and special attention to grand multiparas may decrease obstetric complications. Further longitudinal researches are needed to better elucidate this finding. Keywords:  Maternal outcome, Perinatal outcome, Parity, Ethiopia.