Study of the bleeding time after magnesium sulphate infusion in cases of preeclampsia

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a disease characterized by hypertension, proteinuria "

and/or oedema developing after the 24th week of gestation and rarely

develops earlier in cases of trophoblastic diseases. If associated with '

convulsions, it is called eclampsia. It complicates about 5% of all pregnancies and of multifactorial aetiology.

Patients with elevated blood pressure have significantly greater maternal and foetal mortality and morbodity. For this reason, the medical attendants usually aim at controlling and treating preeclampsia.

The management of preeclampsia depends on its severity. MagnesilJm sulphate is the anticonvulsant drug of choice in the treatment of severe preeclampsia to prevent and/or control seizures. Despite this great beneficial role, magnesium sulphate has some adverse side effects. Severe cases • of preeclampsia treated with ma1,'11esium sulphate may have increased chance of developing postpartum haemorrhage due to possible effect on bleeding time.