High-Risk Pregnancies Surge in Poonamallee, Chennai
Over a third of pregnancies in city’s fringes classified as high-risk
Image: The Times Of India
A recent study reveals that 38.1% of pregnancies in Poonamallee, Chennai, were classified as high-risk, with chronic conditions like hypothyroidism and repeat C-sections becoming prevalent. The findings highlight a shift in maternal health risks, necessitating improved antenatal care and disease screening.
- 0138.1% of pregnancies in Poonamallee were classified as high-risk, with urban Avadi Corporation seeing rates as high as 53%.
- 02Hypothyroidism was present in 26.1% of high-risk pregnancies, followed by previous C-sections at 18.4%.
- 03The caesarean section rate among high-risk pregnancies reached 64.5%, nearly double the statewide average of 36.3%.
- 04Chronic medical conditions are now the dominant risk factors in maternal health, shifting from acute obstetric emergencies.
- 05Public health experts recommend integrating non-communicable disease screening into routine antenatal care to address rising high-risk pregnancies.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
A study by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has found that over one-third of pregnancies in Poonamallee, Chennai, were classified as high-risk in the last year. Specifically, 38.1% of the 9,426 pregnancies registered were deemed high-risk, with rates climbing to 53% in the urban Avadi Corporation area. The study identified a shift in risk factors from traditional obstetric emergencies to chronic conditions such as hypothyroidism, which affected 26.1% of high-risk cases. The caesarean section rate among these pregnancies was alarmingly high at 64.5%, driven by a significant number of women with previous C-sections. Despite these complexities, the outcomes for newborns remained favorable, with a live birth rate of 99.7%. Experts are now calling for enhanced antenatal care that includes screening for non-communicable diseases to better manage the increasing burden of high-risk pregnancies.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The rising number of high-risk pregnancies may lead to increased healthcare costs and complications for mothers and infants, stressing local health resources.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
What do you think should be prioritized to address high-risk pregnancies?
Connecting to poll...
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.