Background: Preeclampsia is a hypertensive multisystem disorder of pregnancy that complicates up to 10% of pregnancies worldwide and is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Aim: To evaluate maternal complications associated with severe preeclampsia.
Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in the UHOG "Koço Gliozheni", in Tirana. Primary outcomes evaluated: maternal death, eclampsia, stroke, HELLP syndrome, and pulmonary edema.
Secondary outcomes: renal failure, admission in ICU, caesarean section, placental abruption, and postpartum hemorrhage. Fisher's exact test and Chi-squared test were used as statistical methods.
Results: In women with severe preeclampsia we found higher rates of complications comparing to the group with preeclampsia. Eclampsia (1.5% vs. 7.1%, P < 0.001), HELLP syndrome (2.4% vs. 11.0%; P < 0.001), stroke (0.5% vs 1.9%, P = 0.105) pulmonary edema (0.25% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.0035), renal failure (0.9% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.107), admission in ICU (19.5% vs. 71.4%, P = 0.007), caesarean section rates (55.5% vs. 77%, P = 0.508), placental abruption (4.3% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.103) and severe postpartum hemorrhage (3.2% vs. 3.9%, P = 0.628).
Conclusion: Severe preeclampsia is associated with high rates of maternal severe morbidity and early diagnosis and timely intervention can prevent life treating complications.
Keywords: HELLP syndrome; eclampsia; maternal outcome; pulmonary edema; severe preeclampsia; stroke.