Frequency and factors leading to recurrent pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency and factors leading to recurrent preeclampsia.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January 2011 to February 2012, and comprised parous subjects <40 years of age with history of preeclampsia in previous pregnancy/pregnancies with singleton pregnancy and gestational age of >20 weeks. Gestational age was determined by early scan with preeclampsia in index pregnancy. Data was collected through a specialised questionnaire and analysed using SPSS 16.

Results: Of the 479 patients seen with preeclampsia, 121(25.26%) were of recurrent preeclampsia. The mean age of such patients was 29.7±4.9 years (range: 20-39 years). Further, 84(69.42%) patients were multipara and 40(33.05%) were grand multipara. Mean body mass index was 29.97±6.2 (range: 18-54). Besides, 28(23.14%) patients had gestational diabetes; 7(5.78%) were known diabetics; 24(19.83%) had chronic hypertension; 2(1.7%) patients had chronic renal disease; and 1(0.8%) had connective tissue disorder.

Conclusions: Being over-weight, having gestational diabetes and chronic hypertension were main risk factors leading to recurrent preeclampsia.

Keywords: Recurrent preeclampsia, BMI, Gestational diabetes, Chronic hypertension..