Reoccurrence of retained placenta at a subsequent delivery: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE

To test the generalizability of previously reported increased risk of reoccurrence of retained placenta in yet another setting.

METHODS

In this observational retrospective study we longitudinally followed women who had a vaginal delivery complicated by a partial or complete retained placenta at Edith Wolfson Medical Center between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2012. The study group included parturient women who had a partial or complete retained placenta after a vaginal delivery (n = 90). The control group included parturient women who did not have a partial or complete retained placenta after a vaginal delivery from the same time period using the same inclusion criteria (n = 90).

RESULTS

Retained partial or complete placenta at a previous delivery was found to be an independent risk factor for retained partial or complete placenta in a subsequent delivery (adjusted OR 9.8, 95%CI 1.2 to 80.6, p = 0.032) and for retained partial or complete placenta and/or postpartum hemorrhage in a subsequent delivery (adjusted OR 14.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 111.9, p = 0.012), after controlling for gestational age and induction of labor at previous delivery.

CONCLUSION

Retained partial or complete placenta at an index delivery increases the risk of reoccurrence of retained partial or complete placenta in a subsequent delivery.