Determinants of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in severe preeclampsia and eclampsia in a low-resource setting, Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

OBJECTIVE: Severe preeclampsia and eclampsia have dire consequences for both maternal and neonatal health. The objective of this study was to identify determinants of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in severe preeclampsia and eclampsia. RESULTS: Binary logistic regression showed the following were significantly associated with adverse maternal outcomes; mothers who had a baby born at 27–29(+6) weeks of gestation were 8 times more likely to be associated with adverse maternal outcomes compared to mothers who gave birth at 37–39(+6) weeks’ of gestation (OR 8.187, 95% CI 1.680–39.911, p = 0.02), holding other variables constant. Platelet count was also statistically significant for adverse maternal outcome. Mothers with platelet counts of 0–49 × 10(9)/l were 46 times more likely to be associated with adverse maternal outcome compared to mothers with normal counts of more than 150 × 10(9)/l (OR 46.429, 95% CI 17.778–121.253, p = 0.001). The following determinants were significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Mothers with platelet counts of 0–49 × 10(9)/l were 4 times more likely to be associated with adverse perinatal outcomes compared to mothers with platelet counts of above 150 × 10(9)/l (OR 3.690, 95% CI 1.752–7.775, p = 0.001).