Postpartum preeclampsia-induced shock and death: a report of three cases.

Three patients with preeclampsia died as a result of prolonged postpartum hypotension that was unrelated to blood loss. Autopsy failed to reveal a cause of death. The sudden onset of hypotensive shock within 24 hours of delivery occurred in all patients, with coexistent hyponatremia present in the two patients in whom it was evaluated. These three maternal deaths appear to have occurred as a result of the previously described entity of postpartum preeclamptic shock.