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Readmission for postpartum eclampsia in the United States
Elizabeth Yoselevsky1, Thomas McElrath1, Sarah Little1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Summary
Nearly half of eclampsia cases occur postpartum, with most happening within two weeks of delivery discharge. This highlights the need for enhanced postpartum eclampsia prevention and patient education strategies.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Eclampsia is a severe complication of pregnancy characterized by seizures.
- Understanding the timing of eclampsia relative to delivery hospitalization is crucial for effective management and prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the contemporary prevalence of eclampsia in the United States.
- To identify whether eclampsia occurs during the delivery hospitalization or as a postpartum readmission.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study utilizing the 2016 Nationwide Readmission Database.
- Identification of women with delivery admissions and subsequent readmissions within six weeks.
- Use of ICD-10-CM codes to identify deliveries, eclampsia, and comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Eclampsia complicated 0.19% of 1,590,563 deliveries.
- Of 2955 eclampsia cases, 53.5% occurred during delivery admission and 45.8% during postpartum readmission.
- 81% of postpartum eclampsia readmissions occurred within the first week after discharge.
Conclusions:
- Nearly half of all eclampsia cases occur postpartum.
- The majority of postpartum eclampsia cases manifest within two weeks of discharge.
- These findings underscore the significance of postpartum eclampsia and suggest a need for targeted prevention and education.
