Obstetrics outcome in pulmonary tuberculosis

To evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcome in pulmonary tuberculosis cases as compared to low risk pregnancies in a tertiary referral hospital.

A total of 15 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis over a period of two years who delivered in our unit was studied in the retrospective study. The maternal and perinatal outcome in them was compared with 191 low risk pregnancies who delivered at the same time in the hospital after taking into account inclusion and exclusion criteria.

The mean age and mean parity was 25.73 ± 2.85 and 28.75 ± 3.11, 2.1 and 1.9 in the 2 groups. Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis were cough (100%), chest pain (80%), expectoration (100%), hemoptysis (33.3%), fever (93.33%), anorexia (86.66%) and loss of weight (80%). Symptoms in study patients were significantly more common in study patients. The presence of associated medical problems was similar in the 2 groups. The prevalence of oligoamnios, gestational diabetes mellitus, antepartum hemorrhage and intrahepatic cholestasis was similar in the 2 groups. Prevalence of preterm labor was 53.33% in study group which was significantly higher than in controls (8.9%). Risk of premature rupture of membrane was also significantly higher in the study groups (53.33%) as compared to control groups (8.9%). Mean gestational age was also significantly lower (36.2 weeks) in study group as compared to 38.6 weeks in control group. The incidence of cesarean delivery was similar in the 2 groups (26.66% vs 28.79%). The mean birth weights was 2308.6 gm in the study group as compared to 2707.56 gm in control group. Fetal growth restrictions and Respiratory distress syndrome in babies was significantly higher in study group than in control group. Low APGAR score (<8) was also higher (33.3%) in study group as compared to control group (2.61%).

Pulmonary tuberculosis during pregnancy is associated with increased perinatal morbidity, low birth weight, poor APGAR and increased respiratory distress rates.