DETERMINANTS OF PRE-ECLAMPSIA AND GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

To examine the determinant factors for pre- eclampsia and gestational hypertension, a total of 567 pregnant women were randomly selected from 13 urban subdistricts and 13 rural villages from a central region in Ethiopia and included in the study. Albuminuria was detected in 11.5% and abnormal diastolic blood pressure in 12.2%. 2.9% and 9.2% were classified as pre-eclamptic and gestational hypertensive, respectively. Younger educated women, in a higher income category, and in their first pregnancy were found to be at a higher risk of pre- eclampsia and gestational hypertension. Strenuous physical exertion and low dietary protein intake during the early months of pregnancy also increased the risk of both pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. A high dietary calcium intake during the early months of pregnancy increased the risk of pre-eclampsia but not gestational hypertension.