Previous abortion and preeclampsia in Kigali, Rwanda: a case-control study.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the association between previous spontaneous abortion and preeclampsia among pregnant women in Rwanda.

Methods: A case (preeclampsia)-control (healthy pregnant women) study with 188 women per group was conducted at Kacyiru Hospital in Kigali, Rwanda. Data were collected using questionnaires, and multivariate binary analysis was performed.

Results: There was no significant difference in age and parity between the case and control groups. In the case group, 29 (15.4%) and 13 (6.9%) women and 16 (8.5%) and 2 (1.1%) women in the control group had a history of one abortion or two or more abortions, respectively. A multivariate binary regression analysis revealed that women with a history of abortion had a higher risk of preeclampsia compared to their peers who had no history of abortion [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-5.27]. Women with one past abortion (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.12-4.86) and those with two or more past abortions (AOR = 8.29, 95% CI: 1.73-39.63) had a higher risk of preeclampsia. Women with a history of preeclampsia who were rural residents or had an increasing body mass index showed a higher risk of preeclampsia.

Conclusion: A history of abortion is associated with preeclampsia. Women with a history of abortion have to receive more frequent care, looking for the development of pre-eclampsia.