Two-year infant neurodevelopmental outcome after expectant management and indicated preterm delivery in hypertensive pregnancies.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the impact of the expectant management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on infant neurodevelopmental outcome.


METHODS
The two-year neurodevelopmental outcome of infants delivered prematurely because of complications of maternal hypertension after expectant management was compared with that of infants of uncomplicated age-matched pregnancies delivered after spontaneous preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes.


RESULTS
The rate of cerebral palsy was similar between the two groups. Conditional logistic regression analysis of the matched sets showed an increased risk of minor neurodevelopmental impairment among infants delivered after severe hypertension (odds ratio (OR) = 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-12.1) or preeclampsia (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.61-10.2). Fetal growth retardation was not associated with increasing infant neurodevelopmental morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Infants delivered prematurely because of preeclampsia or severe hypertension are at increased risk of later minor neurodevelopmental problems.
Spinillo
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy.
Iasci
A
A
Capuzzo
E
E
Egbe
T O
TO
Colonna
L
L
Fazzi
E
E
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012044:Regression Analysis