Eclampsia and fetal sex

The study of the possible importance of the sex of the fetus on the frequency and clinical characteristics of 777 singleton pregnancies complicated by antepartum eclampsia showed that; (1) the male to female ratio for the total group was 1.23/1, (2) this figure was 1.27/1 in first pregnancies and 1.32/1 in patients less than 20 years old, (3) the ratio increased to 1.44/1 in women more than 30 years of age, and (4) in contrast, 169 postpartum eclampsia cases had a male to female ratio of 1.07/1. There were no statistically significant differences in the obstetric profiles, the main eclamptic symptoms or the fetomaternal mortality figures attributable to the sex of the fetus. However, since eclampsia is more severe in older women, the clinician may see more complications and maternal deaths associated with male fetuses because of their significantly higher ratio. In addition, these findings suggest that the presence of a male fetus with a hormonal and genetic code more different from the mother than with female offspring may be an accessory to the fundamental causes of this disease.