Self-reported cognitive functioning in formerly eclamptic women

Impaired Cognition and Brain Atrophy Decades After Hypertensive Pregnancy Disorders

“…28 Two additional studies examining the effects of hypertensive pregnancies on cognition, approximately six to eight years after the affected pregnancy, when the average age of the women was 30-40 years, found that women with preeclampsia and eclampsia (30-50 women per group) reported worse subjective cognitive function. 9,10 However, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery was not conducted. In the current study, we systematically examined the association between having a history of a hypertensive pregnancy and domain-specific cognitive functioning among a large group of 1279 women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.…”

“…Thus, it is possible that women with histories of hypertensive pregnancy disorders also have an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Studies suggest associations between hypertensive pregnancy disorders and subjective cognitive complaints 9,10 or brain white matter lesions on MRI. 11-14 However, these studies had small sample sizes, included few ethnic or racial minorities, and only assessed brain structure and cognitive function five to ten years after the hypertensive pregnancy.…”

Cerebrovascular Dysfunction in Preeclamptic Pregnancies

“…Some women with a history of preeclampsia and eclampsia report cognitive, emotional, and mood changes in the ensuing years [80]. In addition to the direct emotional impact of preeclampsia and eclampsia, subsequent complaints of cognitive dysfunction such as impaired concentration, memory and ability to attend to tasks are common [5,80].…”

“…In addition to the direct emotional impact of preeclampsia and eclampsia, subsequent complaints of cognitive dysfunction such as impaired concentration, memory and ability to attend to tasks are common [5,80]. Several studies utilizing patient self-reports demonstrated that women with a history of preeclamptic or eclamptic pregnancies perceived more cognitive difficulties and worsened quality of life compared to control populations [5,80,81]. However, objective data supporting these findings are limited.…”

What’s new in obstetric anesthesia

“…To test the hypothesis that the hypertensive encephalopathy underlying eclampsia causes white matter damage that might impair long-term cognitive function, Aukes et al 42 evaluated 30 women formerly diagnosed with eclampsia, 31 women with preeclampsia, and 30 healthy parous controls. The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire was used to assess the likelihood of committing errors during the completion of daily tasks; women who had experienced eclamptic seizures were shown to have deficient cognitive function including memory impairment and distractibility.…”