ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to examine the maternal and newborn outcomes of pregnant women with placenta previa who gave birth at 36, 37, or 38 weeks. Material and Methods: We retrospectively examined the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic of Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 2015 and June 2024. We assessed the patients' demographic, and clinical data, and compared perinatal outcomes. Results: The study included 431 women with placenta previa, divided into three delivery timing groups: 36 weeks (n=127), 37 weeks (n=201), and 38 weeks (n=103). The median age was 36 years, median number of pregnancies was 3, and parity was 1. Preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels were 11.7±1.44 g/dL and 11.03±1.56 g/dL, respectively. Emergency hemorrhage necessitated cesarean delivery in 11.8% of cases. Spinal anesthesia was used in 52% of patients, and general anesthesia in 48%. The mean surgery duration was 59.6 minutes, and 16.9% received blood transfusions. The mean maternal hospital stay was 2 days, and 17.9% of neonates were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). No significant differences in maternal outcomes were found between groups. However, birth weights (p<0.001) and NICU admissions differed significantly (p<0.001). When patients requiring blood transfusion were evaluated according to gestational weeks, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups regarding preoperative hemoglobin, postoperative hemoglobin, and red blood cell transfusion requirements (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study has shown that delivery can be safely delayed until the 38th week of pregnancy in placenta previa patients, except in significant vaginal bleeding.