Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia: the time taken to become study normotensive. a prospective study

ABSTRACT

1.To determine the time taken for pre-eclampsia / eclampsia patients to become normotensive. 2.To counsel the patient for regular postnatal follow up. 3.To select the patient with persistent hypertension Prospective descriptive study. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit III, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital Karachi, Dow University of Health Sciences. September 2000 to August 2001 All diagnosed cases of pre-eclampsia / eclampsia were followed after delivery till 6 weeks to see the time taken to become normotensive. Patients were selected from labour room, postnatal wards and postnatal clinic. Standardized performa were filled by trained researchers. Patients with raised B.P at or after 6 weeks were labeled as persistent hypertension and referred to medical specialty. 92 patients out of 1699 were diagnosed as pre-eclampsia / eclampsia. Most of the patients were 20-30 years old [61.96%], primigravida [51.09%]. Most of the patients presented at gestational age >34 weeks [72.83%]. In majority of patients B.P returned to normal within 1 week [41.30%] while 5.43% remained persistently hypertensive. All pre-eclampsia and eclampsia patients should be followed in post natal period till they are either normotensive without medicine or remain hypertensive beyond 6 weeks. They should be referred to expert physician for control of B.P on long term basis