ABSTRACT

Our aim is to investigate the effect of preeclampsia on very low birth weight infants’ morbidity and mortality rates in early neonatal periods.

Infants admitted to the Sisli Etfal Children Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between the years of 2007-2011 and birth weights under 1500 gr were examined retrospectively. Babies whose mothers with and without preeclampsia were compared in terms of demographic characteristics and neonatal morbidity and mortality results. The Chi-square test was used for qualitative data and an independent simple t-test was used for quantitative data.

The study included a total of 246 very low birth weight infants. 53 of them had preeclamptic mothers (Goup 1). The other groups consisted of 193 babies (Group 2). When the preeclamptic group was compared with the other group, mean gestational age, average birth weight and male gender ratios were similar (29.1±2.32 vs 28.8±3.12, 1086±254 g vs 1127±290 g, 49.1% vs 46.1%, respectively, for each p> 0.05). The rate of SGA infants in the preeclampsia group was elevated nonsignificantly (14% to 17%, p>0.05). There was no significant difference between groups according to antenatal factors that may affect prognosis (mean maternal age, regular pregnancy follow-up, application rates of antenatal steroids, placental abnormalities and oligohydramnios). Cesarean delivery in the preeclampsia group was significantly higher than in the other group (92.5% to 69.4%, p=0.0001). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of respiratory distress syndrome (67.3% vs 72.6), stage 2-3 necrotizing enterocolitis (5.7% vs 3.6%), patent ductus arteriosus (9.1% vs 17.6%), grade 3-4 intraventricular hemorrhage (5.7% vs 6.7%) and retinopathy of prematurity (26.4% vs 21.2). Mortality (18.9% vs 26.9%, p:0.23), and red blood cell transfusion rates (42.6% vs 57.6%, p:0.065) were lower in infants of preeclamptic mothers although there was no statistically significant difference.

Short-term morbidity and mortality rates were not changed in very low birth weight infants of mothers having preeclampsia. The gestational week of pregnancy and birth weight have been more influential in the prognosis of these babies. There is much debate regarding respiratory and other morbidities in preeclamptic premature babies in the literature. In future studies, evaluating the grade of preeclampcy will unravel these controversies. (JAREM 2012; 2: 64-7)

Keywords: Preeclampsia, newborn, very low birth weight, neonatal mortality, morbidity