Maternal mortality due to eclamptic and non-eclamptic hypertensive disorders: a challenge

Eclamptic and non-eclamptic hypertensive disorders are responsible for high maternal and perinatal mortality, especially in developing countries. The present study was done in order to understand the trends of maternal deaths due to non-eclamptic and eclamptic hypertensive disorders by analysis of case records of women who died due to these disorders over a period of 20 years. Overall, hypertensive disorders contributed to 31% of maternal deaths, 24.7% due to eclampsia with a decreasing trend from 43% in block A to 8.8% in block E. Case fatality rate (CFR) among eclampsia decreased from 23.3% in block A to 5.7% in block E; 32.7% among ante-partum and 9.9% postpartum and 23.9% in term and 8.9% in pre-term cases. Although the contribution of hypertensive disorders to maternal mortality has reduced significantly (from 43% in block A to 29% in block E), deaths due to non-eclamptic hypertensive disorders have increased from 3% in block C to 23% in block E. Over the years, the contribution of patients<20 years of age has decreased from 8% to 2%, 32% of women who died due to eclampsia were below the age of 20 years. The most common cause of mortality in cases of pre-eclampsia was haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) or partial HELLP syndrome (83.33%) and in eclampsia, pulmonary oedema. Even with resource constraints, mortality due to eclampsia can be reduced with appropriate and timely therapy. Evidence-based critical care is essential as even seemingly milder forms of pregnancy induced hypertension can lead to mortality.