Prevalence of High Blood Pressure in Pregnant Women in Aljouf, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Raised blood pressure during pregnancy may result in the death of the mother and the fetus. In frontline healthcare settings, there aren't enough studies on its prevalence and associated factors. Our goal was to assess the prevalence of HBP and its risk factors among pregnant women in the Aljouf area. A cross-sectional study conducted in the obstetrics department of Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia, included a pregnant woman with high blood pressure (HBP). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the causes of HBP. A bout 451 pregnant women with high blood pressure were included among 3750 other pregnant women. In general, the prevalence of HBP was 12% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7-2.3); among women, it was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3-1.1), 1.6% (95% CI 0.8-2.1), and 3% (95% CI 1.2-8.6) in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Trimester of pregnancy, age, income, occupation, and parity, were not linked to HBP during pregnancy in the multivariable analysis. HBP was present in 12% of pregnant women in the Aljouf region, which is considered to be of moderate-high prevalence. High blood pressure during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the fetus. As a result, the prevalence research has the benefit of encouraging medical professionals to conduct early screening, which helps with prevention, treatment, and also decreases the burden of negative pregnancy outcomes