Jacobs, D.Vreeburg, S.Dekker, G.Heard, A.Priest, K.Chan, A.2006-06-242006-06-242003Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2003; 43(6):421-4280004-86661479-828Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/7963The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comObjective: To identify risk factors for hypertension in pregnancy among South Australian women. Design: A population-based retrospective analysis using the South Australian perinatal data collection for 1998–2001. Methods: Three groups of women with hypertension (pre-existing hypertension, pregnancy hypertension, and superimposed pre-eclampsia) were compared with normotensive women using unconditional logistic regression analysis on 70 386 singleton births to identify sociodemographic and clinical risk factors for hypertension in pregnancy. Results: Nulliparity, Aboriginal race and Caucasian race (compared with Asian) and pre-existing and gestational diabetes were demonstrated to be risk factors for all hypertensive disorders, as was increasing maternal age for pre-existing hypertension and superimposed pre-eclampsia. Risk was increased for pregnancy hypertension and superimposed pre-eclampsia among women who gave their occupation as ‘home duties’ and also for superimposed pre-eclampsia among unemployed women. Women with hypertension were more likely to give birth in teaching hospitals. Urinary tract infections were not found to be a risk factor for any type of hypertension. Smoking during pregnancy was protective for all types of hypertension. Conclusions: The present study used a statewide population perinatal database and has confirmed that Aboriginal race, Caucasians, nulliparity, and pre-existing and gestational diabetes are independent risk factors for all types of hypertension in pregnancy. Increasing maternal age increased the risk for pre-existing hypertension and superimposed pre-eclampsia. There appeared to be appropriate referral of women with hypertensive disorders to teaching hospitals. A new finding is the increased risk among unemployed women and women engaged in home duties.enHumansDiabetes, GestationalPre-EclampsiaPregnancy Complications, CardiovascularHypertensionLogistic ModelsRisk FactorsRetrospective StudiesCohort StudiesMaternal AgeParityPregnancySocioeconomic FactorsAdultPopulation GroupsSouth AustraliaFemaleDatabases as TopicJournal article002003115910.1046/j.0004-8666.2003.00120.x0001875698000042-s2.0-034626514058347Dekker, G. [0000-0002-7362-6683]