- Pre-eclampsia, a consequence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), significantly contributes to global maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
- Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually during the second half of pregnancy (from 20 weeks) or soon after their baby is delivered.
- Emerging evidence indicates pre-eclampsia increases the risk of heart failure four-fold and doubles the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality for mothers.
- In India, which accounts for nearly a quarter of the world’s adverse pregnancy outcomes, addressing these health concerns is a moral and economic necessity.
- According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), perinatal mortality rates are 32 per 1,000 pregnancies, neonatal mortality rates are 25 per 1,000 live births, and hypertensive disorders are a leading cause of maternal death.
- May is “PE Prevention Month” (World PE Day is on May 22), emphasizing the need for proactive measures for safe motherhood.
- Pre-eclampsia leads to multiorgan dysfunction in mothers, with symptoms including high blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation, facial, hand, and foot swelling, severe headaches, vision changes, upper abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing.
- The Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA), through its “Samrakshan” program, aims to reduce pre-eclampsia rates from 8%-10% to 3% and fetal growth restriction from 25%-30% to 10% by the decade’s end.
Dig Deeper: Read about latest numbers of Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India.
