[Effect of preeclampsia on neonatal morbidity]

In this study the outcome of two groups of premature infants born by caesarean section were compared from 52 hypertensive mothers with severe pre-eclampsia and from 30 normotensive mothers. The indication of caesarean section in pre-eclampsia was: proteinuria (> 500 mg/24 h), high blood pressure (> 160/100 mmHg), abnormal cardiotocogram and abnormality in flowmetry (fetal distress). Every infant was premature as well as in the control group. Significantly smaller mean birthweight and longer nursing-time in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were found in the pre-eclamptic group. Neonatal illnesses and complications are more frequent in the pre-eclamptic group. The time of ventilation was also longer. There are more early neurological disorders in the pre-eclamptic group than in the control one. The authors can establish that pre-eclamptic toxemia increases the morbidity in the neonatal period. This is due to the chronic intrauterine fetal distress as well as the retardation.