Assessment of Perinatal Outcomes in Preeclampsia-affected Pregnancies: Insights from a Hospital-based Study

Abstract Context: Preeclampsia (PE) remains a significant public health concern worldwide, affecting pregnancies in both developed and developing nations. Despite advancements in medical knowledge, it continues to pose substantial risks to maternal and perinatal health. Complications such as preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), low birth weight (LBW), and IUD are common outcomes of PE, leading to increased perinatal morbidity and mortality rates. Aim: This study aimed to assess the current landscape of perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by PE. Settings and Design: A hospital-based study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital located in North Karnataka, India. Subjects and Methods: Prior ethical approval obtained from the IEC. Using a predesigned, structured questionnaire, interviews were conducted with 85 eligible women to gather relevant data. Data were entered into SPSS version 20 software for analysis, focusing on descriptive statistics to examine perinatal outcomes. Results: The study revealed that 85.9% of PE cases occurred among women aged 20–30 years. Approximately 80% of cases were from rural areas. The distribution of primigravidae (49.40%) and multigravidae (50.60%) was nearly equal. Among perinatal outcomes observed, 38.80% of babies had IUGR, 14.10% had IUD, and 9.4% had both IUGR and IUD. Furthermore, 68.20% of infants had LBW, and preterm deliveries accounted for 52.90% of cases. In addition, 36.50% of newborns required neonatal intensive care unit admission primarily due to complications related to IUGR and LBW. Conclusion: Study findings suggested that younger age and primigravidity posed as potential risk factors for PE. Moreover, the severity of PE significantly impacts perinatal outcomes, underscoring the importance of prompt identification and management.