PREDICTORS OF FETO–MATERNAL MORBIDITY IN PREGNANCY WITH CHRONIC HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Chronic hypertension affects 0.5-5% of pregnant women. Ninety percent is due to essential hypertension and rest due to secondary causes. It is associated with both maternal and fetal complications. This is a prospective observational study carried out in a charitable maternity hospital over one year. In this study any correlation between some physical and blood parameters, and feto-maternal outcomes were studied. The maternal outcomes considered were the mode of delivery and superimposed preeclampsia. The fetal outcomes were birth weight and intrauterine deaths. The study showed poor fetal outcomes and superimposed preeclampsia was related to higher values of serum lactate dehydrogenase and uric acid and lower levels of haemoglobin percentage. However, only correlation of lactate dehydrogenase and feto-maternal morbidity was statistically significant.