Risk factors for placenta previa in an Asian population.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the risk factors for placenta previa in an Asian population.


METHODS
This retrospective cohort study involved Taiwanese women delivered between July 1990 and December 2003 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Pregnancies complicated by multiple gestation and fetal anomalies were excluded.


RESULTS
There were 457 cases of placenta previa (1.2%) among the 37,702 pregnancies analyzed. Risk factors for placenta previa included a prior preterm birth (OR, 6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1-10.6); technology-assisted conception (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.9-7.8); smoking (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.2-9.1) or working (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.8-5.3) during pregnancy; maternal age of, or greater than 35 years (OR, 2.0 to 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.7); and previous induced abortions (OR, 1.3-3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-7.1).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk factors for placenta previa were found to be the same for Asian women as those previously recorded for American and European women, but additional factors were detected.
Hung
Tai-Ho
TH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Hsieh
Ching-Chang
CC
Hsu
Jenn-Jeih
JJ
Chiu
Tsung-Hong
TH
Lo
Liang-Ming
LM
Hsieh
T'sang-T'ang
TT
D000328:Adult; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology