[Epidemiological profile and postpartum outcome in severe preeclampsia]

Abstract

Background: To describe maternal characteristics and blood pressure behavior in the puerperium of women admitted, during pregnancy, with diagnosis of severe preeclampsia.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted including pregnant women with gestational age of 28 weeks or more, with diagnosis of preeclampsia, not in labor, at the Instituto Materno Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP) from November 2006 to September 2007. Patients with chronic hypertension, autoimmune diseases, gestational diabetes, multiple pregnancy and signs of clinical instability were excluded. Biological, demographic and obstetrical characteristics were analyzed, as well as the behavior of systolic and diastolic blood pressure post partum.

Results: 154 patients with severe preeclampsia were included. The mean maternal age was 25.1 + 6.5 years. Regarding education only 45.5% had completed 11 years of schooling. Only 20.1% of deliveries were vaginal and preterm newborns occurred in 59.8% of cases. Two cases of eclampsia, eighteen cases of HELLP syndrome and 43 cases of oliguria were registered. Length of post partum hospital stay varied from one to 30 days, and 45% of patients were in hospital until the seventh day after delivery. Hypertensive emergencies were registered in 53.9% of the patients during puerperium and use of antihypertensive drugs was maintained in 76.5% of the women.

Conclusions: Preeclamptic women tend to have controlled blood pressures after the third day of puerperium and are likely to be discharged from hospital still using anti-hypertensive drugs. Key-words: Severe preeclampsia, post partum period complications.