Gestational Bell's Palsy Is Associated with Higher Blood Pressure during Late Pregnancy and Lower Birth Weight: A...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neurology
• Neonatology

Background:

• The relationship between gestational Bell's palsy (GBP) and late obstetric complications (LOCs) like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes is not well-defined.
• Evaluating neonatal outcomes in pregnancies affected by GBP is crucial for understanding potential risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between gestational Bell's palsy and specific late obstetric complications.
• To compare the neonatal health indices of newborns born to mothers with and without gestational Bell's palsy.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case-control study design was employed, matching 8 cases of gestational Bell's palsy with 40 controls.
• Data were collected from Songklanagarind Hospital between 2006 and 2016.
• Bivariate analysis was used to assess associations and compare neonatal outcomes.

Main Results:

• While no definitive associations were found between GBP and preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, or gestational diabetes due to limited statistical power, GBP cases exhibited higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
• Newborns of mothers with gestational Bell's palsy showed a statistically significant lower mean birth weight compared to controls.
• The study identified higher maternal blood pressures and lower neonatal birth weights in the context of gestational Bell's palsy.

Conclusions:

• The association between gestational Bell's palsy and late obstetric complications remains inconclusive due to the small number of cases.
• A significantly lower mean birth weight in newborns of mothers with gestational Bell's palsy suggests a potential impact on neonatal health.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to clarify the relationship between GBP and LOCs and their impact on neonatal outcomes.