[Eclampsia: 8-year experience].

Eighty-one cases of eclampsia were managed from april 1985 to may 1993 with an incidence of 1.0 in 1.000 deliveries, at the Department of Obstetric, Gynecology and Neonatology of Barros Luco-Trudeau Hospital, Santiago, Chile. 84.6% of patients were primipara and 45.7% were less than 20 years of age. Convulsions occurred during pregnancy in 61.7% of patients, during labor 22.2% and 16.1% post partum. Eleven cases (13.6%) had convulsions while receiving magnesium sulfate therapy. Prior to convulsion 21.3% of patients showed blood pressure below 140/100 mmHg. 25.9% of patients had normal urine protein. Cesarean section was performed in 75.3%, and the most frequent indication was poor cervical conditions. Fetal distress respiratory and the intrauterine growth retardation were the most frequent neonatal morbidity. Perinatal mortality was 13.2%. Maternal mortality was 3.7%.