COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF LABORATORY OUTCOMES AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF PREECLAMPSIA ACROSS AGE GROUPS

Abstract

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a systemic pregnancy-specific syndrome characterized by symptoms such as hypertension, proteinuria, and edema, often complicated by renal failure, pulmonary edema, and coagulopathy. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional design collected data from 124 pregnant women attending antenatal care at Kasoa Polyclinic. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, obstetric history, and clinical indicators was collected and recorded. Results: The study population comprised 124 pregnant women, evenly distributed across three age groups (Teenage: 32.3%, Early Adulthood: 34.7%, Late Adulthood: 33.1%). For 51.6% of participants, this was their first pregnancy. Personal history of preeclampsia was common (30.6%), but family history was less clear (51.6% unaware). Obesity (15.3%) and multifetal gestation (0.8%) were assessed as potential risk factors. Most participants were in their second trimester (58.9%), allowing for analysis of preeclampsia onset and progression. Conclusion: The percentage of participants with pre-eclampsia among pregnant women across the three different age groups (teenagers, early adults, and late adults) were 31.9%, 33.6%, and 34.5% respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between age and preeclampsia severity (p=0.004).