• Employment
• Lifestyle
• Miscarriage
• Premature Birth
• Stillbirth
• Toxoplasmosis

Pre-eclampsia Statistics

At least 20,000 women (3% of all pregnant women) suffer from pre-eclampsia each year in the UK.

A quarter of this 20,000 will have a severe case, with high blood pressure, protein in the urine, headaches, visual disturbances, epigastric pain (related to the liver), excessive bleeding, strokes & eclamptic fits.

The earlier pre-eclampsia is presented, the more serious it can go on to be. The condition is treated by delivering the baby (often early deliveries).

10-15% of women having their first baby will develop pre-eclampsia.

~10 mothers and 1000 babies die each year as a result of the effects of pre-eclampsia.

[Department of Health. Why mothers die. Report on confidential enquiries into maternal deaths in the UK 1994-96. London: Stationery Office, 1999.]

Pre-eclampsia leads to the premature births of 7,000-12,000 babies each year in the UK

Many will suffer from respiratory problems, blindness or deafness and some will be born before 30 weeks, weighing less than 1.5kg. These premature births can lead to persistent health problems lasting into adulthood.

[VIP press release, The Wellcome Trust]

[Meis PJ, Goldenberg RL, Mercer BM et al. The preterm prediction study: risk factors for indicated preterm births. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998; 178: 562-67.]

Eclampsia

Every year in the UK, eclampsia kills 7-10 mothers, and between 500-600 babies.