Abstract

MATERNAL AND FETAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN ECLAMPSIA AND IMMINENT ECLAMPSIA WITH LOW DOSE MAGNESIUM SULPHATE REGIME

Dr. Udaykumar Dattatray Patil and Dr. Anjali Udaykumar Patil*

Abstract

Eclampsia and Imminent Eclampsia causes significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Worldwide it accounts for 10% of maternal deaths. Magnesium sulphate is the anticonvulsant of choice. 69 cases of Eclampsia and 55 cases of Imminent Eclampsia were included in this study. Majority of the patients were unsupervised primigravidas with age less than or equal to 20 years, residing in rural areas with gestational age more than 30 weeks. Headache was the commonest premonitory symptom Physical examination along with laboratory investigations were carried out. Patients with eclampsia are given 4 gm of magnesium sulphate i.v., diluted, slowly over 15 min. or i.m. as loading dose. This was followed by 2 gm of magnesium sulphate 3 hrly for 24 hrs after delivery or last convulsion whichever is later. In present study of 69 eclampsia patients there was not a single case of magnesium toxicity. Patients with imminent eclampsia are given 2 gm of Magnesium Sulphate i.v. diluted, slowly over 15 min. or i.m. stat. This was followed by 2 gm i.v., diluted, slowly over 15 min.or i.m., initially 3 hrly 2 doses, then 6 hrly till atleast 3 hrs following disappearance of premonitory symptoms and signs. Not a single patient in imminent eclampsia group had convulsion after starting prophylactic therapy. This regime is safe, easy to administer, simple to monitor and non toxic to both mother and her baby who are much less in weight as compared to their counterparts in western world.

Keywords: Eclampsia, imminent eclampsia, magnesium sulphate.