Magnitude of preeclampsia and associated factors among pregnant women who attend antenatal care service at Shashamane Comprehensive Specialized and Melka Oda General Hospitals, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is the most common medical problem encountered in pregnancy. Despite the high burden of the disease, it remains poorly studied in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the magnitude of preeclampsia and its associated factors among pregnant women who attended antenatal care (ANC) in two government hospitals in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.

Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed among 510 randomly selected pregnant women with a gestational age of above 20 weeks attending ANC at Shashamane Comprehensive Specialized and Melka Oda General Hospitals from July 11 to September 9, 2021. Women who had severe illnesses and mental health problems were excluded from the study.  A pretested, structured, face-to-face interview questionnaire was used to collect the data. EpiData version 4.6.0.2 and SPSS version 25 were used to enter and analyze the data, respectively. Blood pressure measurements and urinalysis were carried out to identify and diagnose preeclampsia. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regressions were done to identify factors associated with preeclampsia. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and p-values < 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance.

Results: In this study, the magnitude of preeclampsia was found to be 9.02% (95% CI: 6.03%-11.8%). Age <25 years [AOR= 0.49 (95% CI: 0.003, 0.71)], having normal body mass index (BMI) [(AOR=0.07(95% CI: 0.022, 0.22)], and history of previous ANC follows up [AOR=0.26 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.71)] were identified to be negatively associated with preeclampsia. Having a history of renal disease [AOR = 4.89 (95% CI: 1.78–13.25)], having had preeclampsia before [AOR = 5.03 (95% CI: 1.82–13.93)], or having a family history of preeclampsia [AOR = 7.27 (95% CI: 2.36–22.42)] were all linked to having preeclampsia.

Conclusion: The observed magnitude of preeclampsia in this study is comparable to the global level. Being older, overweight, having no previous ANC follow-up, having a history of renal disease, and having a personal and family history of preeclampsia were found to be significant factors. Therefore, healthcare providers and other stakeholders should consider the above risk factors for timely identification and management through regular antenatal monitoring and careful follow-up. Moreover, by increasing awareness about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and receiving regular prenatal care, women can be empowered to proactively mitigate their risk.