Self-reported cognitive functioning in formerly eclamptic women.
OBJECTIVE
Recently, persistent brain white matter lesions were demonstrated in eclamptic women when imaged 6 weeks after delivery. Moreover, many of these women complain about cognitive limitations years after the eclamptic pregnancy. Therefore, in a cohort of such women, we assessed cognitive failures in daily life.


METHODS
Thirty formerly eclamptic women completed the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. Scores were compared with scores of formerly preeclamptic (n = 31) and healthy parous control participants (n = 30) with the use of a priori Student t test. Groups were matched in terms of current age and years elapsed since index pregnancy.


RESULTS
Women who have had eclampsia scored significantly higher on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, compared with healthy parous control subjects (43.5 +/- 14.6 vs 36.1 +/- 13.9, respectively; P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Women who have had eclampsia reported significantly more cognitive failures years after the index pregnancy. It is hypothesized that this might be due to some degree of cerebral white matter damage. This subjective assessment of cognitive function must be confirmed with objective neurocognitive testing and related to neuroimaging findings.
Aukes
Annet M
AM
School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Wessel
Ineke
I
Dubois
Albertien M
AM
Aarnoudse
Jan G
JG
Zeeman
Gerda G
GG
D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires