RESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the protocol used for management of eclampsia in Assiut University Hospital. This study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Intensive Care Unit [ICU], Department of Anaesthesia; Assiut University Hospital. A prospective cross-sectional study from January 1990 till January 2005, all patients with eclampsia were included [1332 patients]. Patients studied were 1032 ante partum eclampsia, 75 intrapartum, 16 intercurrent and 209 postpartum eclampsia. The regimen included the use of Nifedipine as an antihypertensive, Magnesium sulfate as anticonvulsant, rapid termination of pregnancy and admission to the intensive care unit. Magnesium sulfate was effective in controlling convulsions in 98.1% of the cases. Nifedipine initiated a smooth decline in blood pressure [P > 0.0001]. The dose of Nifedipine needed to control the blood pressure was variable in the different groups of patients. There are 55 cases of maternal deaths [4.12%]. Maternal morbidity occurred in about 23% of cases. Vaginal delivery occurred in 23.3% of cases [most of them were admitted postpartum]. Perinatal morality was variable in the four groups with the highest rate in the antepartum group [7.9%]. The incidence of low Apgar score at 5 minutes was higher in the antepartum group. Combination of Niftdipine as an antihypertensive drug, magnesium sulfate as an anticonvulsant, rapid termination of pregnancy and managing the patients in the intensive care unit resulted in marked improvement of the outcome for both the mother and fetus