Prevalence of Hypertensive Disorders, Antihypertensive Therapy and Pregnancy Outcomes among Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Review of Cases at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Amos Adapalala Bugri, Solomon Kwabena Gumanga, Peter Yamoah (), Ebenezer Kwabena Frimpong and Manimbulu Nlooto ()
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Amos Adapalala Bugri: Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale P.O. Box TL16, Ghana
Solomon Kwabena Gumanga: Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale P.O. Box TL16, Ghana
Peter Yamoah: School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho PMB 31, Ghana
Ebenezer Kwabena Frimpong: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X 2046, Mmabatho 2790, South Africa
Manimbulu Nlooto: Department of Pharmacy, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X 1106, Sovenga, Polokwane 0727, South Africa

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Hypertensive disorders associated with pregnancy are a major health concern and a leading cause of maternal indisposition and transience. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy as well as antihypertensive therapy and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women at Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) in Ghana. This was a retrospective study conducted using data from the folders of pregnant hypertensive patients. The study was conducted at the maternity ward of TTH from 1 June 2018 to 31 May 2019. Participants were all pregnant women with a diagnosis of hypertensive disorders. The prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was 12.5%. The most common antihypertensive medication prescribed was sustained-release oral nifedipine, which was prescribed for 548 (81.4%) participants either alone or with methyldopa, followed by oral methyldopa: 506 (75.2%), intravenous hydralazine: 94 (14.0%), intravenous labetalol: 28 (4.2%) and diuretics: 10 (1.5%). Thirty-eight (5.7%) babies died before delivery, whereas 635 (94.3%) babies were born alive. Twenty-six out of the 38 dead babies (68.4%) were babies of pregnant women with elevated BP, whereas 12 (31.6%) were babies of those with normal BP. There was a statistically significant association between BP control and delivery outcomes. The study observed adherence to antihypertensive medicines recommended by the standard treatment guidelines of Ghana for the management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. The BPs of about two-thirds of the study participants were well controlled with the antihypertensive therapy. The majority of the study participants with well-controlled BP had positive delivery outcomes.

Keywords: hypertensive disorders in pregnancy; eclampsia; pre-eclampsia; chronic kidney disease; perinatal morbidity and mortality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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