Eclampsia: a hospital based retrospective study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE This study was done to see the incidence, epidemiology , clinical profile of eclamptic patients and the effect of current intervention strategy for Eclampsia on maternal and perinatal outcome. METHODOLOGY Analysis of case records of all Eclampsia cases from mid-April,2000 to mid-April,2001. RESULTS Incidence of Eclampsia has was found to be 2.9 per 1000 deliveries. Eclampsia was primarily a disease of young women (97.22%) and nulliparas (80.85%). Approximately half of eclamptic patients had some antenatal care (55.31%) and majority of them had fits before the onset of labour (70.21%). Most eclamptic patients presented with fits at term pregnancy (72.34%). About three fourth of them started fitting at home (74.46%) but one fourth had first fit while already admitted in the hospital (25.53%). Caesarean section was common mode of delivery (55.31%). There was no maternal death. Majority of patients stopped fitting once intervention was started (80.85%) and went home within three weeks (95.73%). One fifth of babies died [stillbirths (14%), neonatal deaths (6%)]. CONCLUSION It appears that current intervention strategy for eclampsia in the maternity hospital is effective in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity but perinatal outcome still needs to be improved.