THE Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Lower Umfolozi War Memorial Regional Hospital (LUWMRH), together with the District Clinical Specialist Team of uThungulu, held a workshop on Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy at Umfolozi Casino Resort.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, are one of the major contributing causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in South Africa.
The last triennium (2011 -2013) Saving Mothers report showed that almost 15% of maternal deaths were due to hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and an alarmingly two thirds were from preventable causes.
Furthermore, the 9th Saving Babies (2013) report revealed that one third of babies die from complications of hypertension.
Keynote speaker Professor Jack Moodley from the Women’s Health and Research Unit at UKZN and chairperson of the National Committee for confidential enquiries into maternal deaths in SA stressed the importance of correctly classifying hypertension in pregnancy since the outcomes are different.
Emphasis was also placed on correct methods of measuring blood pressure, availability of rapid acting anti-hypertensive drugs to lower blood pressure, indications and use of Mg SO4 and antenatal corticosteroids.
