title: Maternal and fetal outcome in pre-eclampsia in a secondary care hospital in South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are one of the common causes for perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Pre-eclampsia is a condition which typically occurs after 20 weeks of gestation and has high blood pressure as the main contributing factor. The aim was to study the effects of pre-eclampsia on the mother and the fetus in rural South Indian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive study conducted in a secondary level hospital in rural South India. A total of 1900 antenatal women were screened for pre-eclampsia during the period August 2010 to July 2011 to study the effects on the mother and fetus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1900 women screened 93 were detected with pre-eclampsia in the study. Among these, 46.23% were primigravida, 30.1% belonged to socio-economic class 4 and 48.8% were among those with BMI 26-30. The incidence of severe pre-eclampsia was higher in the unregistered women. The most common maternal complication was antepartum hemorrhage (13.9%) and the most common neonatal complication was prematurity (23.65%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treating anemia and improving socioeconomic status will improve maternal and neonatal outcome in pre-eclampsia. Antenatal care and educating women on significance of symptoms will markedly improve perinatal morbidity and mortality. Prematurity, growth restriction and low birth weight are neonatal complications to be anticipated and dealt with when the mother has pre-eclampsia. A good neonatal intensive care unit will help improve neonatal outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Christian Fellowship Hospital, Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Parveen M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Aabidha
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Anne G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Christian Fellowship Hospital, Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Helan
keywords: Fetal outcome; maternal outcome; pre-eclampsia