HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM - EFFECTS ON FETAL-OUTCOME

OBJECTIVE: To study perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by h yperemesis compared to controls. STUDY DESIGN: Between 1984 and 1992, 138 patients were diagnosed with HG according to Fairweather's criteri a. Subjects were stratified into groups of mild and severe HG accordin g to the presence of at least one of the following criteria: ketonuria , increased blood urea nitrogen and hematocrit, and/or abnormal electr olytes. All patients with out HG on whom records were available and wh o delivered during the study period were included as controls. Multipl e gestations and stillbirths were excluded from the analysis. Student' s t test and the chi(2) were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: D emographic data were not significantly different between the groups. F orty patients were diagnosed as having mild HG and 98 patients as havi ng severe; 12,335 patients were defined as controls. Mean fetal birth weights were 3,110, 3,093, and 3,160 g in the mild, severe and control groups, respectively. The incidence of congenital anomalies was 2.5%, 2.0% and 1.6%, respectively. The incidence of prematurity was 17.5%, 11.2% and 10.7% in mild and severe HG and controls, respectively. None of the outcome variables for mild or severe HG were significantly dif ferent Its compared to the controls. Differences in other neonatal out comes, including frequency of five-minute Apgar score <7 and neonatal intensive care unit admissions, were not significantly different betwe en the three groups. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous reports, this study demonstrated that fetuses of gravidas admitted for HG are not a t increased risk of growth retardation, congenital anomalies or premat urity. No beneficial effect on pregnancy outcome was detected.