The Necessity of Awareness of Early Symptoms of Placental Abruption Among Pregnant Japanese Women

BACKGROUND: In 2012, the recommendation for immediate contact and visit to obstetric institutions by pregnant women was emphasized by The Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy (JOCSC). In this study, we examined whether or not the increased awareness has led to the improvement of perinatal outcomes of placental abruption managed at private clinics. METHODS: We reviewed the obstetric records of 38 singleton pregnant women complicated by placental abruption that developed at home, and were managed at private clinics from April 2008 through April 2016. RESULTS: The perinatal outcomes, specifically the rate of cases with ≥ 1 hour time interval between symptom onset and clinic visit, have not changed significantly after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The provision of information regarding the early clinical symptoms associated with placental abruption in pregnant women has not been well documented in Japan.