title: Maternal complications and neonatal outcome in Arab women of a fast developing country.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to examine maternal complications that occur during the third trimester and their neonatal outcome in Arab women residing in Qatar.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective hospital-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was carried out in women's hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on the log book of the women's hospital, from which we recruited women in their third trimester of pregnancy between the first week of January 2010 and April 2011. Of the 1 824 Arab women who were approached to participate in the study, 1 432 (78.5%) consented. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the pregnant women in the third trimester attending routine antenatal clinics at a women's hospital. The questionnaire covered variables related to sociodemographic factors, family history, medical history, maternal complications, and neonatal outcome. Medical records of the patients were referred to collect the clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the pregnant women studied, 39.8% were less than 30 years of age. The risk of maternal complications was higher in housewives (60.8%) and women with a low monthly household income (38.2%). Most of the pregnant women (77.6%) had antenatal care. Normal delivery (69.7%) was more common in expatriate Arab women, whereas caesarean was more prevalent in Qatari women (22.2%). Women aged 35 years or older had a significantly higher risk of maternal complications such as gestational diabetes (20.8% vs 13.4%; P < 0.01), gestational hypertension (21.6% vs 15.2%; P = 0.003), and ante-partum hemorrhage (17.9% vs 13.7%; P = 0.042) than younger women. Gestational diabetes increased the risk of caesarean delivery (25.1%) and macrosomia (42.3%). The frequency of caesarean delivery (22.1%) was higher in women with gestational hypertension. Neonatal complications such as Apgar score (<7) 1 minute (33.1% vs 21.2%; P < 0.001), 5 minutes (13.1% vs 8.2%; P = 0.005), and congenital anomalies (2.9% vs 0.9%; P = 0.007) were significantly higher in newborns of older women. Low birth weight (11.1%) and Apgar 1(st) minute < 7 rate (28.2%) were higher in newborns of mothers with ante-partum hemorrhage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings revealed that maternal complications such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, ante-partum hemorrhage, and maternal anemia were significantly higher in older pregnant women. Similarly, neonatal complications were higher in the newborns of older women. Gestational hypertension was the leading maternal complication observed in Arab women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Hamad General Hospital, Qatar ; Department of Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK ; Department of Public Health and Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar.
authors.forename: Abdulbari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bener
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Nufal
authors.forename: Pankit J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Vachhani
authors.forename: Awab I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.forename: Najah M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Saleh
keywords: Arabs; gestational; maternal complications; pregnant women; prevalence