Author(s)

Henri Essome^1,2, Moustapha Bilkissou¹, Merlin Boten Bounyom³, Sandrine Ngoumi⁴, Ingrid Doriane Ofakem Ilick^1,2, Astrid Ndolo Kondo^1,2, Fulbert Mangala Nkwele¹, Michel Roger Ekono¹, Alphonse Ngalame Nyong⁵, Robert Tchounzou⁵, Junie Ngaha Yaneu¹, Marga Vanina Ngono Akam⁶, Gervais Mounchikpou Ngouhouo¹, Grâce Tocki Toutou^2*, Théophile Nana Njamen⁵, Pascal Foumane⁷

¹Training, Teaching and Research Unit in Gynecology Obstetrics and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
²Laquintinie Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.
³Faculty of Health Sciences of Bamenda, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon.
⁴Institute of Health Sciences of the University of the Mountains of Banganté, Banganté, Cameroon.
⁵Faculty of Health Sciences of Buea, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
⁶Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of Yaoundé, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁷Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Sangmélima, University of Ebolowa, Ebolowa, Cameroon.

Introduction: Spontaneous abortion of the second trimester is an interruption of pregnancy with complete expulsion or not of the product of conception between 15 and 28 weeks of pregnancy without any maneuvers. The objective of our study was to determine the factors associated with second trimester spontaneous abortions at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Methodology for this purpose: We conducted a case-control study from January to May 2019 on pregnant women who may or may not have had spontaneous second trimester abortions. Results: In total we recorded 1609 pregnancies and recruited 184 patients, including 46 cases and 138 controls; which gave a frequency of spontaneous abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy of 2.85%. A correlative analysis showed that spontaneous abortions in the second trimester were associated with housewife status (OR = 2.89; CI = 1.21 - 6.79; p = 0.010), gestation > 5 (OR = 4.09; CI = 1.02 - 17.66; p = 0.040), multiparity (OR = 3.81; CI = 1.59 - 9.16; p = 0.002), history of endouterine maneuvers (OR = 5.64; CI = 2.43 - 13 .03; p = 0.000), malaria in pregnancy (OR = 3.99; CI = 1.1 - 14.76; p = 0.030), incompleteness on the second trimester ultrasound (OR = 2.37; CI = 1.18 - 4.70; p = 0.010), jolts when traveling (OR = 46.04; CI = 17.29 - 123.66; p = 0.000), long car journeys (OR = 7.05; CI = 1.99 - 27.77; p = 0.000). After logistic regression eliminating the confounding factors, only the following were associated with abortions: Multiparity (OR = 13.90; CI = 2.96 - 65.18; p = 0.000), endo uterine maneuvers (OR = 3.69; CI = 1. 01 - 13.44; p = 0.047), jolts when traveling (OR = 72.63; CI = 19.47 - 270.96; p = 0.000), long car journeys (OR = 15.41; CI = 2.7 - 85, 95; p = 0.000). Conclusion: Our study reveals that a set of factors contribute to the occurrence of spontaneous abortions in the second trimester of pregnancy in our context.

Spontaneous Abortion, Second Trimester, Associated Factors, Laquintinie

Essome, H. , Bilkissou, M. , Bounyom, M. , Ngoumi, S. , Ilick, I. , Kondo, A. , Nkwele, F. , Ekono, M. , Nyong, A. , Tchounzou, R. , Yaneu, J. , Akam, M. , Ngouhouo, G. , Toutou, G. , Njamen, T. and Foumane, P. (2024) Spontaneous Abortions in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy: Research and Analysis of Factors Associated at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 14, 1130-1143. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2024.148092.