[Perinatal mortality and eclampsia at C.H.U. of Dakar. Apropos of 49 cases]

From 1/04/1985 to 12/02/1990 the authors have treated 49 pregnant women with eclampsia symptoms. Keeping in mind the foetal neonatal results, the following has been noted: 26 live births including on case involving twins, 20 still-births, two foetal abortion and two patients who had never returned. 90.47% of the deliveries were effected vaginally against 09.53% by means of cesarean; patients of whom we lost track are not accounted for, together with 05 foetuses who were extracted during the maternal autopsy. Among the live births, 52.84% weighed less than, 2500 grams and had an APGAR score lower than 07 during the first minute in 69.23% of the cases observed. Six newborns died during the neonatal period because of infection and/or premature birth. Perinatal mortality of this short sample is of 63.07%. This leads the authors to conclude that the improvement of the foetal prognosis of the eclampsia is necessary. This improvement will necessarily go through the broadening of the indication of cesarean.