ASSOCIATION OF PREECLAMPSIA, PLACENTAL PATHOLOGY, AND MATERNAL-FETAL FEATURES WITH PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION AT DIFFERENT GESTATIONAL AGE RANGES

Abstract

AIM: This study aimed at evaluating the preeclampsia, placental pathology, and maternal and fetal features in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) at different gestational age ranges. METHODS: Data related to this analytical cross-sectional study was collected from 60 pregnant women recruited at Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of Hospital between 21 November 2020 and 22 May 2021. A series of maternal, fetal and placental pathology variables was evaluated and compared between the two 30-tuple groups, including pregnant women with early PIH between 20-34 weeks of gestation and those with late PIH after 34 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: Preeclampsia was more prevalent in women with early PIH compared with those with late PIH (80% vs 20%, P:0.001), implying that preeclampsia was significantly associated with the early PIH (p<0.05). The rate of “syncytial knots” significantly increased with the progression of preeclampsia (P<0.05). A significant positive correlation existed between the early PIH and the rate of newborns admitted to NICU, the length of hospitalization, and the levels of the doppler indexes of umbilical and uterine arteries (p<0.05). The newborn Apgar scores were also lower in cases with early PIH than those with late PIH (p<0.05). The mortality rate in neonates born to mothers with early PIH was higher than neonates delivered from mothers with early PIH, but not significantly so (13.30% vs 3.30%, p:0.16). CONCLUSION: Early PIH between 20-34 weeks of gestation might be indicative of progression to preeclampsia. Also, higher rates of pregnancy-related complications in mothers with early PIH might be indicative of different impact of PIH and preeclampsia on pregnancy outcomes depending on the gestational age. Nonetheless, further large-scale researches are needed to get a detailed picture of PIH and preeclampsia.