Impact of hypertensive pregnancy disorder on pregnancy outcome

Hypertension is a sign of an underlying pathology which may be pre-existing or appear for the first time during pregnancy. Even with the amelioration in medicine, pregnancy-induced hypertension remains the leading etiology of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.

To study the prevalence of pregnancy hypertensive disorder (HDP) in patients attending MMMC and H, Solan, and to evaluate the maternal and fetal outcomes in patients complicated with hypertensive pregnancy disease.

All pregnant women of gestational aged more than 20 weeks having BP recordings ≥140/90 mm of Hg on 2 or more occasions at least 6 hours apart ± albuminuria (gestational hypertension, eclampsia, and pre-eclampsia) admitted in the labor room, were included in the study. The data was collected from medical records retrospectively and analyzed.

Mean age with hypertensive disorder of pregnancy was 29.6 ± 11.4 years. A total of 76.4% of them either received no antenatal care or it was inadequate. A total of 72.6% of the patients were primigravidas. A total of 90% of the patients received anti-hypertensive drugs and 32% MgSO₄ therapy either for treatment or seizure prophylaxis. Out of two patients with eclampsia, one was antepartum and one was postpartum. Antepartum eclampsia occurred at 30^th gestational week. Two patients had early onset severe pre-eclampsia, and two patients having HDP had twin gestation.

Early detection and referral to an appropriate facility, adequate policies and strategies, and quality health care that a pregnant woman and her newborn receive are advocated to improve the health outcomes in pregnant women suffering from HDP. Thus, early identification of PIH plays a vital role in better pregnancy results, for both the mother and the baby.