https://www.inosr.net/inosr-experimental-sciences/ 158 Katushabe INOSR Experimental Sciences 12(2):158-171, 2023. ©INOSR PUBLICATIONS International Network Organization for Scientific Research ISSN:2705-1692 https://doi.org/10.59298/INOSRES/2023/2.12.1000 Determinants of Pre-Eclampsia Incidence among Pregnant Women in Antenatal Care at Fortportal Regional Referral Hospital Katushabe Dorothy Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Kampala International University, Uganda ABSTRACT Pre-eclampsia stands as a major contributor to maternal mortality, perinatal complications, preterm births, and restricted fetal growth. Globally, it ranks among the top three causes of maternal mortality and affects 6-8% of pregnancies, contributing to approximately nine percent of maternal deaths in Africa. This study aimed to identify factors linked to pre- eclampsia prevalence among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Fortportal Regional Referral Hospital. Conducting a hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 60 pregnant women, data collection employed a structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis with SPSS version 25 determined Odds Ratios with 95% confidence intervals, marking significance at p values <0.05. Findings revealed several significant associations. Socio- demographic factors like lower maternal age, limited education, and reduced income were linked to pre-eclampsia, alongside obstetric factors including lower parity (≤ 4), overweight status, a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, shorter interpregnancy intervals (≤ 2 years), and previous diagnoses of gestational hypertension. The study underscores the critical need for urgent interventions in the district to address these identified risk factors and prevent and manage pre-eclampsia effectively among pregnant women attending Fortportal Regional Referral Hospital. Both socio-economic and obstetric factors significantly contribute to the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, necessitating targeted interventions for improved maternal and fetal health outcomes. Keywords: prevalence, pre-eclampsia, pregnant women, antenatal care INTRODUCTION Pre-eclampsia is a major cause of maternal mortality (15-20% in developed countries) and morbidities, perinatal deaths, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction [1-10]. By definition, preeclampsia is defined as high blood pressure (>140mmHg systolic and 90mmHg diastolic) with proteins in urine (300mg) within 24 hours that manifest after 20 weeks of pregnancy [11-21]. Furthermore, it is among the three leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, it occurs in 6-8% of all pregnancies, and is estimated to account for at least nine percent of maternal deaths in Africa [22-32]. Eight hundred women die every day from pregnancy or child birth related complications worldwide but ninety nine percent of these deaths occur in developing countries [33-39]. Approximately 10-20 million women will experience complications associated with child bearing each year while the differences in numbers of maternal deaths in parts of the world reflect inequities to access of health services and the gap between rich and poor. In developing countries, the maternal mortality ratio is 240 per 100,000 compared to 16 per 100,000 in developed countries [40-49]. Hypertension in pregnancy falls among the most important complications during pregnancy in addition to excessive bleeding and infection that account for