PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE IN SELECTED PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Purpose: This study sought to assess the prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy and associated risk factors among women attending antenatal care clinics in selected Pubic Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: The research employed a cross-sectional descriptive study design. Study population was pregnant women who attended ANC care in selected hospital.  The respondents were randomly selected from Tikur Anbesa specialized, Zewuditu Memorial and St. Paul’s Millennium medical college hospitals. Respondents for interview were selected using systematic random sampling at an interval of nine until a sample size of 297 was reached. The study used an adopting both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data was collected using structured questionnaires from pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics while qualitative data was collected using key informant interview schedules and Focused Group Discussion guides with Nurses in charge of antenatal care clinics and primary respondents respectively. Key informants and focused group discussants were purposively selected. Descriptive data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 with the aid of Microsoft Excel program to generate frequency tables, graphs and pie-charts. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis and results triangulated with quantitative data as direct quotes or narrations. Inferential statistics were calculated using Chi-Square tests done at 95% confidence interval and a margin of error of 0.05 to establish the association between variables. Information generated were presented in the text in the form of tables, bar graphs and pie charts. Results: The study results revealed that the prevalence of pregnancy induced hypertension in Addis Ababa was 21.9%. Socio-demographic factors such as age (p=0.030), occupation (p=0.031), income (p=0.0014), highest level of education (p=0.001) and health insurance (p=0.001) were significantly associated with occurrence of hypertension in pregnancy. Rreproductive and obstetric factors such as age at first pregnancy (p=0.001), gravidity (p=0.046), parity (p=0.001), history of obesity (p=0.001) and occurrence of gestational diabetes (p=0.002) were significantly associated with hypertension in pregnancy. More than a half (51.9%) of respondents had negative attitude towards hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. The level of attitude (p=0.040) was significantly associated with occurrence of hypertension in pregnancy. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that the management of the 3 health facilities together with other stakeholders in health empower women to start income generating projects to increase their financial access to antenatal care services consequently reduces hindrances that may lead to pregnancy complications such as hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.