Risk factors for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: To identify the risk factors for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP) in women assisted at a nucleus of integrated medical care. Method: An exploratory-descriptive study conducted with 100 pregnant women monitored in the prenatal clinic of the Núcleo de Atenção Médica Integrada (NAMI) of Fortaleza University (UNIFOR), in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil; regardless of age, marital status and family income. The data were collected by means of structured interviews between March and April, 2008. They were organized in tables and analyzed based on relevant literature. Results: The studied sample was aged between 17 to 31 years old. The women were mostly of brown color, with a stable union, having a family income of 1 to 2 minimum wages and basic education. They were house workers, catholic and lived in their own houses. There was a predominance of multi pregnancy, of primiparity and abortion in the age group 17 to 21 years. The women had the following risk factors for HDP – extreme ages; multiparity; the rise of blood pressure in current and previous pregnancy; a family and past history of preeclampsia and eclampsia between the third and fourth pregnancies; emotional conflicts and multiple gestation. Conclusions: The presence of risk factors for HDP was observed in the studied sample, except for obesity and diverse paternity. Among the obstetric data of these women, multi gestation, primiparity and abortion prevailed.