Preeclampsia, Fetal Growth Restriction, and 24-Month Neurodevelopment in Very Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal development
• Perinatal medicine
• Developmental pediatrics

Background:

• Preeclampsia impacts fetal development and postnatal health.
• Fetal growth restriction (FGR) often co-occurs with preeclampsia.
• The developmental outcomes of very preterm infants exposed to preeclampsia and/or FGR are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal preeclampsia and FGR with developmental and behavioral outcomes in very preterm infants.
• To characterize the long-term effects of these conditions on child development.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study of 529 very preterm infants (born before 30 weeks' gestation) was conducted.
• Infants were assessed at 24-month follow-up using the Bayley-III for cognitive, motor, and language development.
• Behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist/Preschool 1.5-5.

Main Results:

• Maternal preeclampsia was not associated with significant differences in Bayley-III scores or behavioral outcomes.
• Fetal growth restriction (FGR) was significantly associated with lower cognitive, language, and motor scores on the Bayley-III.
• These FGR-associated effects were observed irrespective of preeclampsia status.

Conclusions:

• Preeclampsia alone does not appear to be associated with adverse developmental or behavioral outcomes in very preterm infants.
• FGR in very preterm infants is linked to developmental delays, highlighting its importance.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the distinct and combined roles of preeclampsia and FGR in preterm infant development.