Publication:

Feto-maternal outcome in eclampsia at tertiary care hospital in an observational prospective study

Background Eclampsia is a grave consequence of pre-eclampsia. It is defined as development of seizures in a woman with pre-eclampsia during pregnancy or puerperium that cannot be attributed to other causes. Pre-eclampsia complicated by generalized tonic clonic convulsions raises the risk to both mother and fetus. The current study is being done to analyse the cause, clinical course, it's management and feto-maternal outcome in patients of eclampsia.

Methods prospective observational study at Gopinath maternity home, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Government Medical College, Bhavanagar including all antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum cases of eclampsia in 10-month period August 2023 to May 2024.

Results The findings underscore the high prevalence of eclampsia among younger women, particularly primigravidae. The study also revealed that the majority of cases were managed as emergencies, reflecting the lack of adequate prenatal care and monitoring. These demographic and socioeconomic insights emphasize the urgent need for improved healthcare access and educational programs targeted at vulnerable groups to mitigate the risks associated with eclampsia.

Conclusions The high incidence of eclampsia and its complications during this study indicate the need for early identification of risk factors and timely intervention to improve maternal and perinatal outcome. By giving mass awareness towards the importance of antenatal care, ensuring early detection of symptoms of pre-eclampsia in peripheral hospitals and providing adequate treatment, the incidence of eclampsia can be reduced effectively.