Assessment of the epidemiological characteristics of preeclampsia among delivered women attending Tikrit Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a common problem in pregnancy. Women with pre-
eclampsia have high blood pressure, protein in their urine, and may develop other symptoms and problems. The more severe pre-eclampsia associated with serious complications to both mother and baby. Pre-eclampsia is detected through blood pressure measurement and urine tests.
Aim: The study is conducted to assess the epidemiological characteristics of preeclamptic women in Tikrit teaching hospital.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the relation between preeclampsia and (age, parity, body mass index,
residence, occupation, socioeconomic state, baby gender, duration of pregnancy, mode of delivery, and fetal-maternal complications).
2. Identify the previous obstetrical history, recent pregnaney and family history of
preeclamptie women.
Subject and method: The current work represents a descriptive individual type of
epidemiological study which is a cross sectional study. The study was conducted in Tikrit Teaching Hospital from 10th of November 2011 to 10th of November 2012. The sample included 91 delivered pre eclamptie women within purperium period and excluded birth before 24 weeks of gestation. Data was collected from delivered women by a questionnaire also maternal height measured and they asked about their weight before pregnaney.
Results: From 6744 births in Tikrit teaching hospital during study period there were
91(1.3%) cases of preeclampsia, preeclampsia lower at age <20 and >40 years old about 4(44%), 6(6.6%) subsequently. Preeclampsia more frequent 40(44%) among (2-5) parity group, and more among women lived in urban area 53(58.2%). Regarding prepregnancy BMI, the result showed that 36(39.6%) of preeclamptic women had overweight before pregnancy.
The study showed that 47(51.6%) of preeclamptic women delivered
before term, and 41(45.1%) of preeclamptic women delivered by cesarean section,
High frequency of maternal and fetal complications 16(59.3%), 13(43.3%)among preeclamptie women who had no antenatal care.
Conclusion: The study concluded that preeclampsia cases more frequent among women with middle age, parity 2-5, overweigh, worker, low socioeconomic level, and they complained from many complications with their fetuses.
Recommendation: Encouraging early booking as well as regular attendance at the antenatal clinic for early diagnosis and prevention of complications.