FUNDUS CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH PREGNANCY INDUCED HYPERTENSION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH FETAL OUTCOME IN WESTERN INDIA

Abstract

Aim: To study the association between fundus changes in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension and the fetal outcome. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 50 patients with PIH at Methods: a tertiary care hospital in Gujarat, India. Retinal status was evaluated under mydriasis in the antepartum and postpartum period. Fetal outcome was recorded in the form of gestational age at birth, birth weight, live/stillborn, mode of delivery, need for induction of delivery and need for admission to neonatal care unit. In this study, PIH induced Results: fundus changes were seen in 48% of the patients. 17(34%) of the fetus were stillborn and 12 of the live born required hospital admission. Mothers of 13(44.82%) of these 29 fetuses with adverse outcome had PIH retinopathy. 14(50%) of the 28 mothers with fetus with low birth weight had abnormal fundi. Serous detachment occurred in 10% of the patients all of which had severe PIH or eclampsia, were primigravida and delivered preterm. Serous detachment resolved over 7-10 days postpartum. Presence of PIH Conclusion: retinopathy may be used as an indicator for predicting the fetal outcome in patients of PIH. It is a particularly reliable marker for preterm delivery when serous detachment occurs in primigravida women with severe PIH or eclampsia.