author(s)
Dorothy Kanyamura, Mathilda Zvinavashe and Petty Makoni

abstract
Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is a type of increased blood pressure in pregnancy and it continues to be one of the most important cause of mortality and morbidity amongst pregnant women in Zimbabwe, but to date the actual aetiology of PIH remains unidentified. There is no specific indicator for PIH in terms of prevalence and its outcomes and nothing has been done to revise the current management framework of PIH in Zimbabwe. The purpose of this study is to determine knowledge gaps in the management of PIH in order to come up with a PIH Management Framework in Zimbabwe. Mixed sequential dominant status design (QUAN/qual) will be used at six health centres in Mashonaland Central Province. Consecutive sampling will be used. A 1:1 matched case control study will be used in six health facilities in Bindura District as well as Bindura Provincial Hospital in quantitative phase and descriptive qualitative design in qualitative phase with 9 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 8 key informant interviews (KIIs). A case will be a mother with PIH and who visit health facility at 3 and 7 days and at 6 weeks. A control will be mothers without PIH who visit health facility at 3 and 7 days and at 6 weeks. A minimum sample of 217 cases and 217 controls will be used. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 will be used. Quantitative information will be presented and analysed mostly using ANOVA and all test will be performed at 95% (P<0.05) confidence level to determine the significant difference between PIH and perinatal outcomes. Qualitative data will follow mainly a thematic data analysis and presentation model.