Pre eclampsia

Abstract

Pre eclampsia is acute hypertension of pregnancy which, if severe, may result in a measurable leak of protein into the urine. Regardless of the cause of hypertension the potential complicating factors are placental insufficiency, maternal convulsions, possibly abruptio placentae, and rarely acute renal failure. Preeclampsia remains the 3rd most common cause of maternal death in England and Wales, following abortion and pulmonary embolus, with 47 deaths from preeclampsia and eclampsia occurring in the triennium 1970-72 (DHSS, 1975). Of the 29 patients who died with eclampsia the actual cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage in 16, hepatic and renal failure in 3, cardiac failure in 3, and asphyxia in 2. Of the remainder, 1 patient died from each of the following: cerebral edema, renal failure with abruptio placentae, respiratory failure, overhydration, and inhalation of vomit. Of the 18 cases who died without developing convulsions, cerebral hemorrhage was found in 6, cardiac failure in 2, cerebral edema in 2, hepatic and renal failure in 2, renal failure in 2, and complications of anesthesia were responsible for 4 deaths. In addition there were 4 patients with preeclampsia who died from pulmonary embolus. The perinatal loss in these cases was 49%.