High costs of preeclampsia care put mothers at risk
Preeclampsia is a condition that involves high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine and can occur in pregnant women between 20 weeks of pregnancy and up to two weeks after delivery.
What you need to know:
- Data from LabFlow, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, indicates that up to 9 per cent of pregnancies in Kenya develop preeclampsia.
- Approximately 6 per cent of those affected require hospitalisation due to severe preeclampsia or eclampsia.
Expectant mothers in Kenya with preeclampsia spend millions of shillings on immediate care, raising concerns about maternal health during pregnancy and childbirth.
Preeclampsia is a condition that involves high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine and can occur in pregnant women between 20 weeks of pregnancy and up to two weeks after delivery.
According to an analysis of a study conducted in public health facilities across the country by health experts from LabFlow, a diagnostics health company, that tackles diseases that have high incidences and poor outcomes by providing rapid testing, a pregnant woman with a single baby and the health condition will spend between Sh750,000 and Sh1.2 million on hospitalisation and the appropriate medical treatment she needs.
Kyle, Pereira, a pharmacist at LabFlow, said this cost covers caesarean section, preterm delivery and hospitalisation for both the mother and the newborn, who may also require urgent care.
"A pregnant mother with preeclampsia will usually give birth by caesarean section between 28 and 30 weeks. As the baby will be premature, he or she will end up in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) and some will be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For the mother, she may end up in the ICU and there is also the cost of medication," said Mr Pereira.
He noted that this financial burden could lead to poor maternal outcomes, including maternal and perinatal mortality if the necessary treatment is not received.
The analysis also shows that the long-term costs for mothers with pre-eclampsia can range from Sh750,000 to Sh15 million over 30 years, depending on the severity of the condition. These costs include medication, surgery, counselling and rehabilitation.
Data from LabFlow, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, indicates that up to 9 per cent of pregnancies in Kenya develop preeclampsia, with approximately 6 per cent of those affected requiring hospitalisation due to severe preeclampsia or eclampsia.
A spot check revealed that Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital receives about six to ten pregnant women with preeclampsia every day, while Pumwani Maternity Hospital, the largest maternity and neonatal health facility in Kenya, handles an average of 120 deliveries per day and is likely to see even more women with preeclampsia.
"We expect the number of women suffering from pre-eclampsia to be much higher due to reporting issues, especially in rural areas of the country," said Mr Pereira.
"If pre-eclampsia is not treated, mothers can develop high-risk conditions including chronic hypertension, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and kidney disease," he noted.
Preeclampsia is a major contributor to maternal and neonatal mortality in Kenya, particularly in rural areas. There are concerns that the actual number of women affected by pre-eclampsia may be higher due to under-reporting, especially in rural areas.
