3081 Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences (SJAMS) ISSN 2320-6691 (Online) Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., 2014; 2(6D):3081-3086 ISSN 2347-954X (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) www.saspublisher.com Research Article Socio-demographic Profile of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension in a Tertiary Care Centre Shikha Saxena 1 , Prem Chandra Srivastava 2 , K. V. Thimmaraju 3 , Ayaz K. Mallick 4 , Kanchan Dalmia 5 , Biswajit Das 6 1,4 Assistant Professor, 3 Professor & Head, 6 Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Rohilkhand Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly-243006, U.P., India 2 Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Rohilkhand Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly-243006, U.P., India 5 Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Rohilkhand Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly- 243006, U.P., India *Corresponding author Dr. Shikha Saxena Email: Abstract: Pregnancy induced hypertension complicates approximately 6% of pregnancies globally and is the most important cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. In our prospective case-control study, socio- demographic profile was studied in 70 PIH subjects (case) divided into three groups as gestational hypertension, pre- eclampsia and eclampsia, and 70 normotensive pregnant women (control) belonging to age group 18 - 40 years at gestational age of >20 weeks. Women who developed pregnancy induced hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation, majority of them were rural dweller Hindus with lower economic status. PIH women between 21 - 30 years of age constituted the major chunk (77.14%) and majority of the PIH subjects (57.14%) were primigravida. Overall, 54.29% PIH subjects belonged to more than 36 weeks of gestational age. Thus, the development of PIH was more common among the women married and conceived at an early age, and primigravida with higher gestational age. Awareness regarding socio-demographic risk factors for PIH shall be helpful in reducing the PIH related morbidity and mortality. Keywords: Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, Eclampsia, Primigravida, Gestational age INTRODUCTION Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) includes a group of hypertensive disorders developed due the gravid state after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It includes gestational hypertension with blood pressure ≥140/90 mm of Hg without proteinuria, pre-eclampsia which is gestational hypertension with proteinuria, and eclampsia defined as pre-eclampsia with convulsions. PIH complicates approximately 6% of pregnancies globally [1] and is the most important cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality [2]. The incidence of pr-eclampsia in nulliparous population ranges from 3 to 10 per cent worldwide [3]. Incidence of eclampsia in the developed countries is about 1 in 2000 deliveries [4] as compared to developing countries [5-7] where it varies from 1 in 100 to 1 in 1700. The national incidence of PIH is 15.2% in India, while it is four times higher in primipara women than in multipara [8, 9]. 13% of the maternal deaths are in the women with pregnancy induced hypertension and eclampsia, the most terrible form that accounts for major cause of death [10]. The high incidence observed has pointed towards poverty, lack of education and unawareness regarding health care in this part of the world. PIH is more common in primiparous, women of younger age, high maternal age, multiple pregnancies, obese women and hydatiform mole. Previous history of PIH is also an important risk factor for the development of PIH. In addition, the genetic factor is also involved; patients who have a family history of pregnancy induced hypertension, especially in mother or sister are at higher risk [11]. The age of mother is also important; with increasing age, the risk of pregnancy induced hypertension increases [12]. The present work was conducted to study the socio-demographic profile and to find out the risk factors among antenatal mothers with pregnancy induced hypertension.