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. 2021 Mar 31;16(3):e0248423. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248423

Table 2. Definitions of pregnancy-related complications.

Term Study Definition
Hypertension
 Gestational Pregnancy >20 weeks and new diagnosis of hypertension (>140 mmHg systolic and/or > 90 mmHg) without severe features of pre-eclampsia or proteinuria
 Pre-eclampsia without severe features Pregnancy >20 weeks and new diagnosis of hypertension (≥140 mmHg systolic and/or ≥ 90mmHg) and proteinuria but no severe features, which include:

  • Severely elevated blood pressures, with systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg, which is confirmed after only minutes (to facilitate timely antihypertensive treatment)

  • Development of a severe headache (which can be diffuse, frontal, temporal or occipital) that generally does not improve with over the counter pain medications (such as acetaminophen/paracetamol)

  • Development of visual changes (including photopsia, scotomata, cortical blindness)

  • Eclampsia, or new-onset grand mal seizures in a patient with preeclampsia, without other provoking factors (such as evidence of cerebral malaria or preexisting seizure disorder). Seizures are often preceded by headaches, visual changes or altered mental status

  • New onset thrombocytopenia, with platelet count <100,000/μL

  • New onset of nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain

  • Transaminitis (AST and ALT elevated to twice the upper limit of normal)

  • Liver capsular hemorrhage or liver rupture

  • Worsening renal function, as evidenced by serum creatinine level greater than 1.1 mg/dL or a doubling of the serum creatinine (absent other renal disease)

  • Oliguria (urine output <500 mL/24 h)

  • Pulmonary edema (confirmed on clinical exam or imaging)
 Pre-eclampsia with severe features Pregnancy >20 weeks and new diagnosis of hypertension (≥140 mmHg systolic and/or ≥ 90mmHg) and proteinuria with severe features (see list above)
 Eclampsia Based on diagnosis term in chart
Other complications
 Postpartum Hemorrhage Based on diagnosis term in chart
 Fever of Unclear Etiology Based on diagnosis term in chart or report of mother with a temperature >38.5 degrees Celsius
 Chorioamnionitis Based on diagnosis term in chart or report of mother with a temperature >38 degrees Celsius and treated with antibiotics during labor
 Postpartum Endometritis Based on diagnosis term in chart or report of mother with a temperature >38 degrees Celsius after delivery and treated with antibiotics