title: Analysis of pulmonary function in high-risk pregnancies: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the pulmonary function in high-risk pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cross-sectional study on 60 pregnant women, of whom 30 were high-risk and 30 were low-risk cases, with gestational age ≥28 weeks. For the high-risk group, preeclampsia and/or gestational diabetes were the conditions taken into consideration. To evaluate pulmonary function, the following parameters were assessed: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), Tiffeneau index (FVC/FEV1) and forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75%). Fisher's exact test or the chi-square test was used to analyze the variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistical differences in the pulmonary function parameters according to gestational age (p > 0.05). Similarly, there were no statistical differences in the pulmonary function tests for the variables of smoking habit, birth weight, Apgar index, duration of gestation, childbirth type and need for the newborn to go to the intensive care unit (p > 0.05). For the pregnant women with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, only FEF25-75% presented statistical significance (p = 0.01 and 0.034, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In high-risk pregnant women, pulmonary function suffered alterations characterized by limitations regarding airflow through the airways, although without repercussions on gestational outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, State University of Ceará (UEC) , Fortaleza - CE , Brazil .
authors.forename: Márcia Cardinalle Correa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo Júnior
authors.forename: Eduardo Felix Martins
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: José Wellington de Oliveira
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Fabrício da Silva
authors.initials: Fda S
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gestational diabetes; high-risk pregnancy; preeclampsia; respiratory function tests