Effects Of Hypertensive Disorders In Pregnancy On Preterm Delivery And Anthropometric Indices In The Resultant Newborn Infants

Abstract

This prospective study aimed at examining the effect of maternal hypertension in pregnancy on rate of preterm delivery and anthropometric indices in the resultant newborn infants. The gestational ages and anthropometric indices of 265 live-born babies of hypertensive mothers (BHM) were determined and the results compared with those of 804 live-born babies of normotensive mothers (BNOM). The mean birth weight of male babies born to hypertensive mothers was significantly lower than that of their counterparts born to normotensive mothers (2.8  0.40kg vs 3.10  0.30kg; p < 0.01). Similar trend was observed in females (2.75  0.30kg; vs 3.0  0.75kg; p < 0.01). Rates of delivery of low birth weight infant were 38.6% and 17.9% among hypertensive and normotensive mothers respectively. Sixty percent of babies delivered by mothers with chronic hypertension with or without superimposed pre-eclampsia were small-for-gestational age (SGA) compared to 3.8% for the other remaining subtypes of hypertension in pregnancy. Rate of preterm delivery was significantly higher among hypertensive (29.3%) than normotensive (12.2%) mothers (p<0.001). Most significantly, this study revealed that babies delivered by mothers with chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia had the lowest anthropometric indices compared to the other subtypes of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia is probably associated with the severest form of placental insufficiency and hence intrauterine malnutrition. It would appear that chronic hypertension in pregnancy is associated with proportionate foetal growth retardation. In conclusion, pregnancies complicated by hypertension are associated with increased rate of preterm delivery and reduction in anthropometric indices in the resultant newborn infants.

Keywords: Hypertension, Pregnancy, Preterm delivery, Anthropometry, Neonates

Annals of Biomedical Science Vol. 3 (1&2) 2004: pp. 12-22