Background: Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in obstetric disorders is a severe complication.
Aim: To study the frequency and means of diagnosis of DIC and the therapeutic care and maternal morbidity induced.
Methods: Monocentric, prospective and descriptive study about 45 cases of intravascular coagulation in an obstetrical service collected at the University Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hedi Chaker of Sfax over a period ranging from June 2007 to June 2010. All the pregnant patients who have given birth beyond 28 weeks and have presented a DIC were selected for this study.
Results: The mean age of patients was 31.4 years. The mean parity was 2.6. The main diseases during pregnancy were: severe preeclampsia (22.2%), diabetes (28.8%), intrauterine fetal death (17.7%), previa placenta (8.8%). The main causes of DIC were: uterine atony (44.4%), abruptio placenta (22.2%), Hellp syndrome (11.1%) and uterine rupture (6, 6%). The lowest rate of platelets was 21000/mm3. The fibrinogen level was <0.5 g in 40% of cases. Despite reanimation and transfusion with blood products, surgical treatment was necessary in 77.7% of cases. All the patients were transferred in intensive care unit with an average stay of about three days. No maternal death was reported.
Conclusion: DIC is a frequent complication of many obstetrical diseases. The treatment is urgent. It requires first to the cause and the shock by massive transfusions of packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets, associated with antifibrinolytic drugs, if necessary.