Prevalence of Hypertension at Antenatal Booking and Delivery in Ibadan

Abstract

Context: Hypertension is the second commonest medical condition in pregnancy and it occurs in up to 10% of all pregnancies. It is responsible for several cardiovascular events and accounts for about 12% of all maternal deaths, which is about 1500 per 100, 000 livebirths in Nigeria. Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of hypertension at antenatal booking and delivery among pregnant patients at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria in other to evolve a special management plan for the control of this disease among them. Methods: Pregnant subjects attending the antenatal clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan were recruited consecutively into the study. They had repeated blood pressure measurements and were followed up from antenatal clinic registration till delivery. Results: Four hundred and nine pregnant subjects were examined and recruited into the study at booking, but only 187 of them completed the study and delivered at UCH. The frequency of hypertension at booking was 9.8%, rising to 26.2% at delivery, a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 27.25; p Conclusion: Prevalence of hypertension as well as the mean SBP and DBP were significantly higher post partum than at booking among the subjects. Previous personal and family history of hypertension were strong determinants of hypertension in pregnancy in them. There was no correlation between parity and level of blood pressure. Key Words: Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Pregnancy, Antenatal [Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 2003, 20: 49-51]