Prognosis of children born to mothers with HELLP-syndrome

In literature there have been differences in the assessment of the outcome of children born to mothers with HELLP syndrome. In a retrospective study w e investigated six annual groups (1989-1994) at the Perinatal Center in Erl angen (11235 births, 68 children of mothers with HELLP syndrome). 53 childr en were treated in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The control gro up (n = 219) consisted of a complete age group in our NICU. The gestational age (mean 33 weeks, p < 0.003) and the birth weight (mean 1671 g, p < 0.00 1) were significantly lower in the HELLP group. No significant differences were detected with respect to the frequency of l eucocytopenia (p = 0.518) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.215). Despite a relat ively high rate (37.7 %) of RDS there was only a significant tendency to th e disadvantage of HELLP children (p = 0.075). There was no difference in fr equency of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (p = 0.566). Infections were diagn osed less frequently in HELLP children (p = 0.042). Mortality in the contro l group was higher only as a tendency (p = 0.07). The follow-up examination s of the neurological development covered 31 of the 53 treated children. Af ter 6-72 months (median 24 months), 90.3 % of these children showed normal development or only minor disabilities. The prognosis of children of mother s with HELLP syndrome is not as bad as has been assumed so far.