TY - JOUR
T1 - Place of birth and outcomes associated with large volume transfusion
T2 - an observational study
AU - Patterson, Jillian
AU - Randall, Deborah
AU - Isbister, James
AU - Peek, Michael
AU - Nippita, Tanya
AU - Torvaldsen, Siranda
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: Guidelines recommend that women at high risk of postpartum haemorrhage deliver at facilities able to handle heavy bleeding. However postpartum haemorrhage is often unexpected. This study aims to compare outcomes and health service use related to transfusion of ≥4 units of red blood cells between women delivering in tertiary and lower level hospitals. Methods: The study population was women giving birth in public hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, between July 2006 and December 2010. Data were obtained from linked hospital, birth and blood bank databases. The exposure of interest was transfusion of four or more units of red cells during admission for delivery. Outcomes included maternal morbidity, length of stay, neonatal morbidity and need for other blood products or transfer to higher care. Multivariable regression models were developed to predict need of transfusion of ≥4 units of red cells using variables known early in pregnancy and those known by the birth admission. Results: Data were available for 231,603 births, of which 4309 involved a blood transfusion, with 1011 (0.4%) receiving 4 or more units. Women giving birth in lower level and/or smaller hospitals were more likely to receive ≥4 units of red cells. Women receiving ≥4 units in tertiary settings were more likely to receive other blood products and have longer hospital stays, but morbidity, readmission and hysterectomy rates were similar. Although 46% of women had no identifiable risk factors early in pregnancy, 20% of transfusions of ≥4 units occurred within this group. By the birth admission 70% of women had at least one risk factor for requiring ≥4 units of red cells. Conclusions: Overall outcomes for women receiving ≥4 units of red cells were comparable between tertiary and non-tertiary facilities. This is important given the inability of known risk factors to predict many instances of postpartum haemorrhage.
AB - Background: Guidelines recommend that women at high risk of postpartum haemorrhage deliver at facilities able to handle heavy bleeding. However postpartum haemorrhage is often unexpected. This study aims to compare outcomes and health service use related to transfusion of ≥4 units of red blood cells between women delivering in tertiary and lower level hospitals. Methods: The study population was women giving birth in public hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, between July 2006 and December 2010. Data were obtained from linked hospital, birth and blood bank databases. The exposure of interest was transfusion of four or more units of red cells during admission for delivery. Outcomes included maternal morbidity, length of stay, neonatal morbidity and need for other blood products or transfer to higher care. Multivariable regression models were developed to predict need of transfusion of ≥4 units of red cells using variables known early in pregnancy and those known by the birth admission. Results: Data were available for 231,603 births, of which 4309 involved a blood transfusion, with 1011 (0.4%) receiving 4 or more units. Women giving birth in lower level and/or smaller hospitals were more likely to receive ≥4 units of red cells. Women receiving ≥4 units in tertiary settings were more likely to receive other blood products and have longer hospital stays, but morbidity, readmission and hysterectomy rates were similar. Although 46% of women had no identifiable risk factors early in pregnancy, 20% of transfusions of ≥4 units occurred within this group. By the birth admission 70% of women had at least one risk factor for requiring ≥4 units of red cells. Conclusions: Overall outcomes for women receiving ≥4 units of red cells were comparable between tertiary and non-tertiary facilities. This is important given the inability of known risk factors to predict many instances of postpartum haemorrhage.
KW - Blood transfusion
KW - Maternal morbidity
KW - Postpartum haemorrhage
KW - Tertiary hospital
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114775548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12884-021-04091-y
DO - 10.1186/s12884-021-04091-y
M3 - Article
SN - 1471-2393
VL - 21
JO - BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
JF - BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
IS - 1
M1 - 620
ER -