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Medical/Surgical/Diseases/Complications

Poster Session 4

(949) Pregnancy outcomes in people with spinal cord injury

Wednesday, February 14, 2024
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective: To understand the obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Study Design: This is part of an international observational questionnaire examining reproductive and urogenital health outcomes in people with SCI. It was developed with input from people with SCI, and distributed electronically in four languages in collaboration with social media and SCI organizations. Self-identified people over the age of 18 who were assigned female at birth were included. This study assessed key obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in this population. Descriptive analysis was used.

Results:

Responses were received from 33 countries; the recruitment rate was 85.4% (1056/1237) and the completion rate was 73.8% (780/1056). Of these, 216 people reported having 392 pregnancies following SCI, 5 of which were twin pregnancies. There were 265 live births, 3 stillbirths, 71 miscarriages, 38 terminations, 3 ectopics and 17 people who were currently pregnant. Of the pregnancies resulting in live births and stillbirths, there were 99 cesarean sections and 161 vaginal births, 3 did not report mode of delivery. Preterm birth (PTB) occurred in 64/263 (24.3%) of pregnancies ending in births. Bladder infections occurred in 80/263 (30.4%), kidney infection in 16/263 (6.1%), hospital admission in 44/263 (16.7%) and ICU admission in 5/263 (1.9%) of pregnancies ending in births. 39/263 (14.8%) pregnancies resulted in NICU admission.

Conclusion:

This is the largest and most detailed assessment to date of pregnancy outcome in people with SCI. It supports a previously reported concern for a risk of PTB in this population, as well as high incidence of bladder and kidney infections, and hospital admission. This information is of value to people with SCI who are contemplating pregnancy or are currently pregnant, and the physicians who care for them. Although the majority of pregnancies resulted in term, vaginal deliveries, this study suggests a need for future research into the causes of, and ways to prevent PTB and urologic infection in people with SCI, as well as possible links between these two outcomes.