Making motherhood safer in eclamptic patients

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Context: Eclampsia remains an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality throughout the world, particularly developing countries.
Objective: To determine the prevalence, socio-demographic predisposing factors, management modalities and outcomes of eclampsia with the aim of making motherhood safer in eclamptic patients..
Study setting: Retrospective analysis of case notes of patients managed for eclampsia at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
Method: Case notes of patient managed for eclampsia at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa over a 10 year period from January 1, 1996 to December 2005 were analysed.
Main outcome Measure: Prevalence of eclampsia, sociodemographic predisposing factors, mode of delivery, drug therapy, maternal and perinatal outcome.
Result: The analysis showed that the incidence of eclampsia was 0.9% and unbooked patients accounted for 93.3%. 65.8% of them were primigraidae and 78.5% of them were below 30 years with a mean age of 23.4years. Intrapartum eclampsia was the commonest type of eclampsia, occurring in 46.7% of the patients. Convulsion was controlled with diazepam in 91.0% of cases. Vaginal delivery was the mode of delivery in 59.8% of cases. Maternal and perinatal mortality were 3.3% and 16.7% respectively.
Conclusions: Eclampsia is associated with significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality especially among unbooked patients. Public awareness on the need for early antenatal booking and adequate training of health care providers on how to recognize high risk patients and early referrals will go a long way in reducing the incidence of eclampsia and making motherhood safer among patients.