ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hypertension contributes to the morbidity and mortality rates all over the world. The objectives of this study was to determine the blood pressure level, body mass index status, relationship between body mass index and blood pressure and association between body mass index and pregnancy induced hypertension amongst pregnant women attending antenatal care in university of Port Harcourt teaching hospital.
METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted in Port Harcourt using a descriptive cross-sectional study design. Three hundred and eighteen pregnant women attending antenatal care in university of Port Harcourt teaching hospital who gave their consent participated in this study. The respondents were selected using a simple random sampling technique by tossing a coin. Instrument for data collection was an interviewer administered questionnaire. Blood pressure measurements were taken at 12, 24, 28 and 36 weeks. Anthropometric measurements were also taken. Data was analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows, version 22.0 software (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp USA) and level of significance was set at p<0.05.
RESULTS: Amongst the three hundred and eighteen respondents, [271(85.2%)] had normal blood pressure. Less than half [134(42.8%)] of the respondents were overweight at 14 weeks, 22 weeks [146(45.9%)], and 33 weeks [130 (40.9%)]. Non-consumption of alcohol [255(80.2%)], not participating in exercise [263(80.2%)], not smoking [317 (99.7%)], and lack of constant worries about pregnancy [190 (59.7%)] were found to be associated with body mass index and hypertension. No association between body mass index and pregnancy induced hypertension was found in this study.
CONCLUSION: Majority of the respondents to this study had normal blood pressure level.
Majority of the respondents was overweight at 14 weeks, 22 weeks, and 33 weeks.
This study has non consumption of alcohol, not participating in exercise, not smoking, and lack of constant worries about pregnancy as factors influencing body mass index and blood pressure.
This study found no association between body mass index and pregnancy induced hypertension.
