[Arterial hypertension: epidemiological aspects and risk factors on pregnant and delivered woman].

Objectives: Determine frequency of hypertension in pregnancy and delivered women at the Teaching Hospital of Brazzaville and identify epidemiological aspects and risk factors.

Patients and methods: A prospective and transversal study was realized from november 2004 to january 2005 in the Teaching Hospital of Brazzaville. Forty two patients (8 pregnant women, 34 delivered) with hypertension, have been enregistered among 825 admissions in the departments of gynecology and obstetric. Arterial hypertension was defined by a blood pressure at 140/ 90 mm Hg or above.

Results: Arterial hypertension constituted 5.1% of the total admissions. Average of the patients was 27 +/- 8 years (age range: 14 and 40 years). Two patients (4.8%) haven't been sent to school, 29 (69%) had the secondary level, twenty (47.8%) were housewives. Seventeen patients (40.5%) had realized 2 prenatal consultations at the most. Patients were divided in 4 groups: Chronic hypertension (n = 4), pre eclampsia surimposed on chronic hypertension (n = 4), pregnancy hypertension only (n = 15), preeclampsia (n = 19). Prim gravidity (38.1%) and family history of hypertension (40.4%) were the most frequent risk factors. Obesity, gemality, previous pre eclampsia represented respectively 14.3%, 9.5% and 4.8%.