High Morbidity of Preterm Neonates in Pregnancy with Preeclampsia: A Retrospective Study in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is a leading cause of preterm birth, accompanied by compelling maternal and neonatal morbidities. This study aims to investigate preterm neonate outcomes in pregnancy with preeclampsia. Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in Indonesia’s national referral hospital. Infants born <37 weeks from January 2015 to December 2018 were recruited, both from preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic mothers. The measured outcomes were necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), as well as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Results: There were 2,750 preterm neonates enrolled in this study, with 455 neonates born from mothers with preeclampsia. Neonates in the preeclampsia group had a higher incidence of NEC (OR [odds ratio] 2.22; 95% CI [confidence interval] 1.5–3.17), HIE (OR 3.84; 95% CI 1.61–9.17), RDS (OR 5.51; 95% CI 4.35–6.98), and BPD (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.03–3.42). Conclusion: Neonatal morbidities, such as NEC, HIE, RDS, and BPD, were found higher in preterm neonates born from preeclamptic mothers compared to uncomplicated pregnant women.