Retrospective comparative study on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes of symptomatic dengue infection: A study in Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Introduction: Dengue fever is one of the most important mosquito-borne infections and is considered a major health problem in Sri Lanka. The impact of dengue fever on pregnancy is not very well studied owning to small study cohorts and methodical bias. Objectives: This is a retrospective comparative study to assess the maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes in symptomatic dengue infection in pregnancy Method: The maternal, neonatal, and fetal outcomes of a cohort of pregnant patients with serologically confirmed dengue fever (n=24) were compared with an age-matched group of healthy pregnant mothers without symptomatic dengue illness (n=72). Results: There were no statistically significant differences in birth weight (p=0.229), prematurity (p=1.000), peripartum complications (p=0.439) and mode of delivery (p=0.246). Neonates born to mothers with dengue infection needed more premature baby unit (PBU) admissions (p<0.01), and a longer hospital stay (p<0.01). Two maternal deaths were due to multi-organ failure with dengue haemorrhagic fever and one symptomatic case of mother-to-child transmission of dengue infection was noted in the study Conclusions: In this study there were no statistically significant differences in the fetal or neonatal outcomes between the dengue-exposed and unexposed groups of pregnant mothers. However, 2 maternal deaths were reported in the exposed group of 24 compared to none in the non-exposed group of 72 which is statistically significant (p<0.001)