Perinatal Outcome Of Pregnancies Complicated By Hypertensive Disorders At The University Of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria

In this case-control study, we examined the perinatal outcome in 272 pregnancies complicated by hypertension and compared the result with that of 816 control cases. The overall prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) was 7.2%. There was significantly higher perinatal mortality rate (PMR) of 110.3 per 1000 deliveries in hypertensive mothers compared with 33.0 per 1000 deliveries in normotensive mothers. Comparing the various subtypes of HDP, chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia was associated with the highest PMR of 714.3 per 1000 deliveries. The rate of delivery of low birth weight and preterm infants were significantly higher in hypertensive compared with normotensive mother. Comparing hypertensive and normotensive mothers, the Caesarean delivery rate was 35.7% versus 26.6%. The incidence rate of birth asphyxia was significantly higher in babies of hypertensive mothers compared with babies of normotensive mothers. Proportionate intrauterine growth retardation was found in infants born to mothers with chronic hypertension in contrast to disproportionate form found in infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension. In conclusion, HDP is associated with several adverse outcome such as premature birth, intrauterine growth restriction, birth asphyxia, fetal demise. Keywords: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy; perinatal outcome. Annals of Biomedical Science Vol. 4 (1) 2005: pp. 25-3