Obstetric and neonatal outcome following chronic hypertension in pregnancyamong different ethnic groups

We retrospectively studied pre-eclampsia rate and obstetric outcome in a co hort of 436 pregnancies amongst 318 women of different ethnic backgrounds a ttending an antenatal hypertension clinic from 1980-1997, identifying 152 w omen (213 pregnancies) with chronic essential hypertension. The ethnic brea kdown was: White, 64 (30.0%) pregnancies in 48 (31.5%) women; Black/Afro-Ca ribbean, 79 (37.1%) pregnancies in 56 (36.8%) women; and Indo-Asians 70 (32 .3%) pregnancies in 48 (31.6%) women. The prevalences of pre-eclampsia in W hite, Black and Indo-Asian women were 17.2%, 12.7% and 18.6%, respectively (p = 0.58). Pregnancies of Indo-Asian women were of shorter gestation, and babies in this group also had lower birth weight and ponderal index compare d to those of White and Black women (all p < 0.05). The proportions of over all perinatal mortality were 1.6% for Whites (1/64), 3.8% for Blacks (3/79) and 10.0% for Indo-Asians (7/70), suggesting increased risk in the Indo-As ian group. Indo-Asian women with chronic essential hypertension need carefu l antenatal care and observation during pregnancy.