Introduction: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy comprising of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are a major cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: The study was conducted among 65 antenatal women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia at gestational age >20 weeks in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kamla Nehru State Hospital for Mother and child IGMC Shimla. Clinical signs and symptoms and Laboratory test were recorded for study purpose.

Results: The mean age of subjects in the study was 25.03±5.6 yrs, majority of subjects were between 20-29 years. 75% subjects were booked and 25% were unbooked. Majority (58%) of subjects were primigravidae and 40% were multigravidae, a single patient was admitted with postpartum eclampsia. 51(78.4%) subjects had severe preeclampsia and 14(21.5%) subjects had eclampsia. Majority of subjects had significant proteinuria. Hematocrit, LDH, serum uric acid  ApTT and 24 hrs urinary protein were significantly higher with  abnormal RBC morphology

Conclusion: Indicators of endothelial dysfunction i.e. abnormal RBC morphology, elevated LDH, deranged renal function tests were significantly higher in these patients.. We conclude that the brain edema in patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome is primarily associated with the laboratory based evidence of endothelial damage

Keywords: Antenatal women, Pregnancy induced hypertension, Biochemical tests.

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Dr Anu Bala Chandel

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Regional Hospital, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India