title: Pregnancy outcome in primigravidae with late onset hypertensive disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The perinatal mortality associated with pre-eclampsia is extremely high and it is mainly associated with early onset disease in multiparous women. Hypertension without proteinuria in late pregnancy may not be associated with high perinatal mortality rates.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the perinatal outcome in primigravidae women with hypertension occurring in late pregnancy, that is, at thirty fourth week or later.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Labour ward of King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and twenty two primigravidae consisting of 161 hypertensives and 161 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypertensive group was divided into those with proteinuria (group a) and without proteinuria (group b). The mean birthweight of babies born to proteinuric hypertensives was significantly lower than that of hypertensives without proteinuria and the normotensive group (2.4 kg (a) versus 2.8 kg (b) versus 3.02 kg (c) respectively--a versus b, p = 0.0001; a versus c, p = 0.001; b versus c, p = 0.009). There were nine perinatal deaths and all occurred in the proteinuric hypertension group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primigravidae with late onset proteinuric hypertension had smaller babies and higher perinatal mortality than their aproteinuric hypertensive and normotensive controls.
authors.affiliation: Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mphatsoe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gouws
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000401:mortality*; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000401:mortality*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000401:mortality*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology