Introduction: Previously preeclamptic women may express cognitive difficulties, which have largely been ignored or attributed to the stresses of a complicated pregnancy.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the scope of neurocognitive and psychosocial problems following preeclampsia.
Methods: Through website promotion and a mass e-mail members of the USA-based Preeclampsia Foundation who experienced preeclampsia in the past 20 years were invited to complete a web-based survey, consisting of a questionnaire about current and past medical health, the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), the abbreviated WHO Quality Of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ). Participants were stimulated to ask a friend who had a normotensive pregnancy to complete the survey as well (controls). Women with current or past neurological conditions were excluded. Analysis was performed using Mann Whitney U test and linear regression.
Results: 966 cases and 342 controls were included. Median age was 34, median time since first pregnancy 4 and 5 years respectively. Cases scored significantly worse on all three questionnaires, and more often underwent psychiatric therapy, currently or in the past. There was a significant effect of migraine on all questionnaires and of eclampsia on CFQ score. Cronbach's alphas were >0.7, indicating good internal consistency of the questionnaires. Results are expressed as median (range) or number (percentage) (∗)p<.001.
Conclusion: Previously preeclamptic women report more cognitive and social problems, and worse quality of life compared to women who had normotensive pregnancies. Health care providers and patients should be aware of this so that affected women may receive recognition, psychological care and escape from the ignorance of their environment. Our findings may stimulate research relating to the origin and management of these important issues.
Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.