THE RISK OF PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION - BLACK-AND-WHITE DIFFERENCES IN A MILITARY POPULATION

The relationship between race and risk of pregnancy-induced hypertensi on was investigated in a cohort of active-duty military women who gave birth during the period 1987 through 1989. Cases were identified thro ugh hospital discharge diagnoses and included transient gestational hy pertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and unspecified hypertension com plicating pregnancy. Multivariate analysis showed nulliparous Black wo men to be at a slightly increased risk for all pregnancy-induced hyper tension (risk ratio [RR] = 1.2) and for pre-eclampsia (RR = 1.3) compa red with nulliparous White women. Black parous women were found to hav e a slightly reduced risk of all pregnancy-induced hypertension (RR = 0.77) and pre-eclampsia (RR = 0.38) compared with White parous women.