The importance of parity to major maternal morbidity in the eclamptic mother with HELLP syndrome

Hypertens Pregnancy. 2003;22(3):287-94. doi: 10.1081/PRG-120024032.

Abstract

Objective: To determine if the rate of major morbidity from severe preeclampsia with/without hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome differs by parity.

Methods: Retrospective investigation of 970 gravidas with severe preeclampsia with and without HELLP syndrome analyzed according to parity.

Results: Altogether 609 (63%) patients were nulliparous and 361 (37%) parous. Between groups there was no significant difference in the incidence of overall major morbidity (21% vs. 19%, p=0.467), or specific morbidities including hematologic/coagulopathic (13.6% vs. 11.9%, p=0.442), cardiopulmonary (8.9% vs. 7.2%, p=0.362), CNS/visual (1.8% vs. 2.8%, p=0.319), or hepatorenal (0.8% vs. 2.2%, p=0.068). Although eclampsia was significantly more common in nulliparous (10.2%) than in parous patients (5.5%, p=0.012), the later significantly more often demonstrated major maternal morbidity associated with eclampsia (50%) than did nulliparous patients (25%, p=0.043).

Conclusions: Unless parous patients with severe preeclampsia with or without HELLP syndrome develop eclampsia, their disease acuity does not differ significantly from their nulliparous counterparts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Eclampsia / mortality
  • Female
  • HELLP Syndrome / mortality*
  • Humans
  • Maternal Mortality
  • Parity / physiology*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / mortality
  • Pregnancy
  • Retrospective Studies