A Study on Hypertension in Pregnancy

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia are collectively called “Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy” and toxaemia of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a medical condition characterized by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine of a pregnant women. If left untreated, it can develop into eclampsia, the life-threatening occurrence of seizers during pregnancy. Hypertension, complicating 5% to 7% of all pregnancies, is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity, particularly when the elevated blood pressure (BP) is due to pre-eclampsia, either alone (pure) or superimposed on chronic vascular disease. Pre-eclampsia is a major cause of preterm birth and an early marker for future cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, whereas preterm delivery is associated with immediate neonatal morbidity and has been linked to remote cardiovascular and metabolic disease in the newborn.