EARLY NEONATAL PROGNOSIS IN PREECLAMPSIA - A MATCHED CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

Objective: To investigate the effect of preeclampsia on early morbidit y of low birth weight infants. Methods: We evaluated the neonatal morb idity and mortality in a group of 117 infants born to mothers with pre eclampsia as compared to that of 234 control infants, matched for gest ational age, born to normotensive patients. Univariate and multivariat e analyses were used to assess the outcomes. Results: Infants in the p reeclamptic group had lower birth weight (mean difference = -253 g; 95 % confidence interval, -157 to -349 g, P < .0001) and were more freque ntly affected by severe growth retardation. At univariate level, infan ts born to preeclamptic mothers had higher rates of acidosis, hypoglyc emia, grade II-III intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular le ucomalacia. Analysis by conditional logistic regression equations demo nstrated that the increased neonatal morbidity in the preeclamptic gro up was mainly due to perinatal complications associated with hypertens ion (low birth weight, severe IUGR, less use of corticosteroids, perin atal distress). Conclusions: In preeclamptic pregnancies, associated o bstetric complications could influence neonatal prognosis more than th e high blood pressure per se.