A prospective study of hypertension in pregnancy at Harare maternity hospital

Abstract

rat of patients during a one-month study within the Greater Harare Obstetric Unit. Pre-eclampsia was the most common type of hypertension present in 72 (33,6%) patients. The :pidemiological characteristics of the patients with different forms of hypertension in pregnancy are presented. The perinatal mortality for hypertensive patients was 79,4/1 000 compared to 26,2 /I 000 in tormotensive patients. Patients with prcgnancy- nduced hypertension had the lowest perinatal mortality at 18,2/1 000. Proteinuric hypertension | was associated with an increased perinatal mortality, the worst prognosis being in patients with chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia. The percentage of patients with proteinuria increased as the maximal level of diastolic blood pressure increased. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature.