Impact of Eclampsia on Maternal Outcomes and Mortality: A Tertiary Care Experience

Background: Eclampsia remains a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings.Understanding its clinical profile and outcomes is essential for improving maternal care.This study aimed to evaluate the impact of eclampsia on maternal outcomes and mortality in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: This hospital-based observational study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, Dinajpur, Bangladesh, from July 2008 to December 2008.In this study, we included 52 patients who were admitted with eclampsia at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital during the specified study period.Results: The mean age of the patients was 22.0 4.2 years, with nearly half (48.07%) aged 21-25 years.Most women resided in rural areas (65.39%) and belonged to the lower economic class (61.54%).Infrequent or absent antenatal care was common (80.77%).Antepartum eclampsia was the most frequent presentation (55.77%), followed by postpartum (25.0%) and intrapartum (19.23%).Magnesium sulfate was the primary anticonvulsant used (96.15%).Vaginal delivery occurred in 59.62% of cases, while 40.38% required caesarean section.The majority (94.23%) recovered, though 5.77% died.Grave complications were observed in 23.08% of patients, and overall morbidity was 44.23%.Common post-delivery complications included wound infection and hypertension (15.38% each).Among maternal deaths, cerebrovascular accident (66.67%) and pulmonary edema (33.33%) were the leading causes.Conclusion: Eclampsia continues to pose significant risks to maternal health, particularly among young, rural, and socioeconomically disadvantaged women.Early detection, timely intervention, and improved antenatal care are critical to reducing associated morbidity and mortality.