title: Adverse perinatal outcomes after the February 27th 2010 Chilean earthquake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the February 27th earthquake exposition was associated to adverse perinatal outcomes in Chilean pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed all deliveries occurred in 2009 (n = 3,609) and 2010 (n = 3,279) in a reference hospital in the area of the earthquake. Furthermore, we investigated pregnant women who gave birth between March 1st and December 31st 2010 (n = 2,553) and we classified them according to timing of exposition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a 9% reduction in birth rate, but an increase in the rate of early preterm deliveries (<34 weeks), premature rupture of membranes (PROM), macrosomia, small for gestational age, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) after the earthquake, in contrast to the previous year. Women exposed to the earthquake during her first trimester delivered smaller newborns (3,340 ± 712 g v/s 3,426 ± 576 g respectively, p = 0.007) and were more likely diagnosed with early preterm delivery, preterm delivery (<37 weeks) and PROM but were less likely diagnosed with IUGR and late delivery (42 weeks, p < 0.05) compared to those exposed at third trimester. Accordingly, IUGR and preterm deliveries presented elevated healthcare costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Natural disasters such as earthquakes are associated to adverse perinatal outcomes that impact negatively the entire maternal-neonatal healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Physiology Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oyarzo
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertoglia
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Avendaño
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacigalupo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Jesenia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Acurio
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escudero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011273:Pregnancy, Prolonged / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors