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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Title: Evidence-Based Analysis of the Incidence and Current Health Care Management for Preeclampsia Among Adolescent Mothers

Rasheda C. Pippens, RN, MSN , Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes College, Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
Verna L. Hendricks-Ferguson, PhD, RN , Nursing, Goldfarb School of Nursing, St. Louis, MO
Alberta Peters-Herron, DNP(c), MSN, APRN, BC , Nursing, Goldfarb School of Nursing, St. Louis, MO
Kathy Hufker, MS, RNC , Nursing, Goldfarb School of Nursing, St. Louis, MO

Discipline: Women’s Health (WH), Childbearing (CB), Advanced Practice (AP)

Learning Objectives:
  1. To describe the current health care management of preeclampsia in the United States.
  2. To identify the current incidence of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers in the United States.
  3. To evaluated published findings on detection of risk factors for the onset of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers.
Submission Description:
Problem Statement: Preeclampsia is identified as the most common complication during pregnancy and a major cause of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. There is an increased risk for the onset of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers who have a history of delayed or absent prenatal care, lower socioeconomic status, and dietary insufficiencies. Therefore, an improved understanding of risk factors and early detection for preeclampsia in adolescents is critical to the prevention of maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality Purpose: An evidence-based analysis (EBA) of published research studies and supportive literature was conducted to evaluate reported research findings on the association between the incidence and the current health care management of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers. Another aim of this EBA project is to provide preliminary evidence for the development of future clinical practice guidelines for the health care screening and management of adolescent mothers at risk of developing preeclampsia. Literature Review Methodology: The review of published research studies and literature was completed to analyze published studies between 1995 and 2009. Studies published were identified by searching computerized archives (e.g., MEDLINE, EMBASE) and directly from the journals themselves. The following search words were used: pregnancy, adolescents, preeclampsia, maternal morbidity, fetal morbidity and mortality, high risk obstetrics, prediction factors, and nulliparious. The literature search was restricted to relevant English-language articles published between 2000 and 2009. The cutoff year was selected because the most current research was considered for this study. The comprehensive literature search yielded 28 articles (i.e., 3 case control studies, 5 cohort studies, 3 controlled trials, 16 literature reviews, and one protocol). The identified research studies focused on adolescents, pregnancy, preeclampsia, dietary needs, treatments for preeclampsia, complications of preeclampsia, and preventive measures for preeclampsia. Analysis of Literature: A review of the selected research articles provides evidence that adolescent pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. Of the chosen published research articles, 16 suggested an association between adolescents and the incidence of preeclampsia. One article stated otherwise, while 12 articles provided evidence on other factors and variables. Interpretation: The findings from this EBA provide support to the theory that there is a higher incidence of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers, but a few articles identified that adolescents are no longer at risk. The findings also provided evidence of a strong association among adolescent mothers and risk factors for development of preeclampsia among this age group. Although several etiologies have been identified, there is some conflicting data concerning the incidence of preeclampsia in adolescents. There is sufficient data presented that suggests conflicting information, thus, more research should be conducted concerning the risk factors and incidence of preeclampsia. The evidence provided in this literature review suggests that early nutritional supportive strategies may help in the prevention and management of preeclampsia and may help to minimize the incidence of adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. Although increased understanding of the etiology of preeclampsia is important to health care providers, detection of risk factors related to potential complications is essential to the prevention of preeclampsia among adolescent mothers.