Pattern of utilization of blood and blood components in obstetrics at tertiary care hospital

Background: Obstetric emergencies occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Blood transfusion becomes one of the live saving measures in such situations. Severe anaemia due to nutritional deficiency, obstetric haemorrhage either during pregnancy, labour or in postpartum period are the commonest indications for blood transfusion worldwide. Blood bank services play important role in saving lives in obstetric emergencies. Health institutions must carry out internal blood transfusion audits to reassure optimal and judicious use of blood and blood components.Methods: Analysis of 755 Obstetric patients requiring blood transfusion in eighteen months period was done to find out the incidence and indications for blood transfusion at tertiary care hospital.Results: Overall, 5.33% of obstetric admissions required transfusion of blood or its components. Severe anaemia (36.55%), accidental haemorrhage (20.92%), postpartum haemorrhage (8.34%), placenta praevia (5.03%) and caesarean section (10.33%) were the common indications for blood transfusion. In more than 65% cases, two or three unit of blood were transfused. In majority of cases (96%) components were used.Conclusions: Blood transfusion helped to save many lives in the present study. Severe anaemia and obstetric haemorrhage of varied aetiology were the common indications for blood transfusion. Component therapy helped to correct specific deficiency. Voluntary blood donation should be encouraged in the younger generation to keep adequate stock of blood in blood bank for emergency use. Preventive measures like improving dietary iron intake and prophylactic iron therapy will go a long way in reducing the need for blood transfusion in Obstetrics