Preeclampsia and Future Implications on Growth and Body Composition in Preterm Infants

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which can lead to impaired postnatal growth and neurodevelopment in preterm infants. Preeclampsia can also occur without IUGR and its impact on postnatal nutrition, growth, and body composition remains not fully investigated to the best of our knowledge. Methods: This study included infants born before 37 weeks of gestation who underwent air displacement plethysmography to measure body composition (fat-free mass [FFM] and fat mass [FM]) at term-equivalent age. We compared infants born to mothers with preeclampsia and IUGR (PE-IUGR group) and preeclampsia without IUGR (PE-non-IUGR group) to those born to mothers without preeclampsia (control group). Results: In total, 291 infants were enrolled (control: n = 227; PE-non-IUGR: n = 43; PE-IUGR: n = 21). FFM was significantly lower in the PE-IUGR (mean differences −231 g (IQR: (−373, −88); p < 0.001)) and PE-non-IUGR groups (mean differences −260 g (IQR: (−372, −149); p < 0.001)) in comparison to the control group. FM was not significantly different between the three groups. Conclusions: This study indicates that infants of preeclamptic mothers, even without IUGR, had significantly lower FFM at term-equivalent age compared to the control group. Further research is necessary to determine if these variations can be modified.