Pre-Eclampsia and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Ghana: A Retrospective Study

Pre-eclampsia remains a major cause of feto-maternal death in Ghana, with a rising incidence linked to multiple factors that hinder prevention. Despite it's impact, few studies have explored associated risks. This study assessed the prevalence, risk factors, and maternal-neonatal outcomes associated with pre-eclampsia among pregnant women at Kumasi South Hospital between January 2020 and May 2025.

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted among 519 pregnant women who delivered at Kumasi South Hospital between January 2020 and May 2025. Data on sociodemographic, obstetric, clinical, and maternal-neonatal outcomes were extracted from medical records. Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages, and binary logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors. p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The prevalence of pre-eclampsia was 28.1%, with significant associations observed for adverse maternal/neonatal outcomes. After adjusting for multiple confounders, inadequate ANC visits [aOR = 4.79, 95% CI: 1.19-19.23, p = 0.027], headache or visual disturbances [aOR = 8.55, 95% CI: 1.90-38.46, p = 0.005], and low platelet count [aOR = 7.67, 95% CI: 1.96-30.02, p = 0.003] were associated with significantly increased odds of pre-eclampsia. However, age [aOR= 0.41, 95% CI: 0.21-0.82, p = 0.012], and parity were also associated with reduced risk of pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia was common among pregnant women delivering at KSH, negatively impacting maternal and neonatal outcomes. These findings highlight the need for closer antenatal monitoring and early identification of these risk factors to reduce the maternal and neonatal burden of pre-eclampsia.