Incidence of pre-eclampsia and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the 37 Military Hospital in Ghana.

Background: Pre-eclampsia remains a major global public health challenge, contributing significantly to maternal mortality and adverse birth outcomes. Despite progress in reducing maternal deaths in Ghana, pre-eclampsia continues to disproportionately impact maternal health. The diverse and poorly understood predictors of pre-eclampsia highlight the need for further research. This study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of pre-eclampsia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the 37 Military Hospital in Ghana. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with 288 pregnant women enrolled before their 12th week of gestation, selected through simple random sampling. Participants were interviewed once per trimester to collect data on dietary diversity, protein intake and fruit and vegetable consumption during pregnancy. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify associations between pre-eclampsia and maternal dietary intake, along with other factors, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: The incidence of pre-eclampsia was 19.5% (n=56), with most cases (95.8%, n=46) resolved before the third trimester. Higher intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with a modest increase in odds (adjusted ORs (aORs) 1.00; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.01). Adequate gestational weight gain was linked to higher odds (aOR 29.26; 95% CI 7.48 to 114.51). Maternal stress was a significant predictor of pre-eclampsia (aOR 10.95; 95% CI 1.10 to 109.37), while increased maternal education correlated with decreased odds (aOR 0.83; 95% CI 0.68 to 0.96). Younger maternal age, under 24 years (aOR 0.04; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.26) and between 25 and 34 years (aOR 0.23; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.98), was a protective factor compared with women aged 35 and older. No significant associations were found for dietary diversity (aOR 0.82; 95% CI 0.33 to 2.02), protein intake (aOR 1.00; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.01) or modified salt consumption (aOR 0.44; 95% CI 0.11 to 1.79). Conclusion: This study reported a higher incidence of pre-eclampsia than previous research and identified maternal age, education, gestational weight gain, stress and fruit and vegetable intake as key risk factors. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to enhance maternal awareness, optimise prenatal care and reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, ultimately improving pregnancy outcomes.