STUDIES ON TOXEMIA OF PREGNANCY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BLOOD-PRESSURE .1. INCIDENCE AND SOME CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF MOTHERS AND INFANTS

An investigation was made of 150 women who were diagnosed at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, Uppsala [Sweden] in 1964-68 as having toxaemia of pregnancy. Eleven had eclampsia and the remainder pre-eclampsia. Toxemia occurred in 0.88% (average) of all parturients during the study period. Some characteristics of the mothers and their infants are reported. There were more instrumental deliveries in the toxemia group than in the non-toxemic patients delivered in the clinic. The maternal weight at delivery was also greater in the toxemia group. The frequency of complications among the infants was higher in the group with toxemia. There were more stillbirths, lower birth weights and more congenital malformations. With regard to blood pressure, almost identical pressures were noted in the eclamptic and pre-eclamptic groups, with 1 exception. The maximum blood pressure recorded during delivery was higher in the eclamptic than in the pre-eclamptic group (198/127 and 175/117).