Risk Factors of Pre-eclampsia: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study

Introduction Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder and is one of the leading causes of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in India and worldwide. Evidence of the association between various risk factors and pre-eclampsia is scarce in developing countries. As pre-eclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity, focusing on the causes and risk factors of pre-eclampsia during antenatal surveillance would prevent maternal deaths and reduce the maternal mortality rate. Our study aimed to determine the risk factors of pre-eclampsia. Materials and methods An unmatched case-control study was conducted at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, Odisha, taking 100 cases of pre-eclampsia and 100 controls without pre-eclampsia from January 2021 to January 2023. The study population included patients admitted to the Obstetrics & Gynecology labor room. Study participants were selected randomly from the labor room thrice weekly. Data were collected using a predesigned pre-tested questionnaire and case report format. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Appropriate statistical tests (Odds ratio, proportions, Chi-square test) were applied, and the final interpretation was made. Results Family history of hypertension (AOR = 4.2), history of chronic hypertension (AOR = 13.7), and AB blood group (AOR = 3.6) were found to be significant risk factors for pre-eclampsia. No significant association was found between pre-eclampsia and factors such as mother's age, caste, mother's education, type of family, socioeconomic status, education and occupation of husband, family history of diabetes mellitus, parity, history of abortion, and anemia. Conclusion Risk factors identified in the present study can be used to identify women at risk of pre-eclampsia during antenatal check-ups to minimize the complications of pre-eclampsia in both the mother and the fetus.