Epidemiological study of eclampsia in a referral teaching hospital

The present study is a retrospective analysis of 864 eclampsia patients managed at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata during the period January 1999 to December 2001. The incidence of eclampsia was seen in about 2.27% cases. Majority (51.97%) of eclampsia patients were between 20 and 29 years though 41.43% were below 20 years of age. They were mostly primigravida (88.19%) and Hindus (69.1%). About 44.56% were antepartum eclampsia patients. All the patients were treated with magnesium sulphate. Caesarean section rate is quite high (46.18%) in this present study. Maternal case fatality rate was 7.29%. Still birth rate was 9.92% with an early neonatal death rate of 14.15% resulting in a perinatal mortality of 24.07%. Ignorance regarding antenatal check-up, lack of transport and lack of early communication with tertiary hospital play an important role for high incidence of eclampsia in our developing country.