Pregnancy-induced hypertension and associated factors among pregnant women attending public health facilities in Swaziland

Abstract

Background/Aims: Pregnancy-induced hypertension is the main cause of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women in Swaziland. The main objectives of this study were to: i) identify the factors contributing to the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension among women attending public health facilities in Swaziland; ii) investigate the association between the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension sociodemographic variables, family history, obstetric history, lifestyle, and access to health care services. Methods: An exploratory, descriptive research design, using a quantitative research approach was used. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20, where a sample frame of 60 women diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension, and a sample of 50 women was selected using simple random sampling. Results: The findings revealed a significant association between sociodemographic variables and obstetric history (p=0.001), marital status (p=0.025) and lifestyle, which in turn predisposes the woman to pregnancy-induced hypertension. Employment status (p=0.044) was significantly associated with access to health care services and level of education (p=0.027). Conclusions: Factors that are significantly associated with the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension include age, multiple pregnancy, a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension in previous pregnancies and limited use of antenatal care services. The authors recommend strengthening pre- and in-service midwifery education on the management of pregnancy-induced hypertension, as well as client education on the risk factors for pregnancy-induced hypertension.