Morbidity and development in childhood of infants born after temporising treatment of early onset pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To assess morbidity and development in childhood of infants born after temporising management of severe early onset pre-eclampsia.

Design: Cohort study with matched controls.

Setting: University centre for high risk obstetrics.

Samples: Three groups of neonates matched for gender and year of birth: one born after temporising treatment of severe early onset (<32 weeks) pre-eclampsia with an average delay of delivery of two weeks (n= 193); one born at the duration of pregnancy [1 week] of the pre-eclamptic mother on admission (control group I, n = 192); and one born at the same gestational age [1 week] as the infant of the pre-eclamptic mother (control group II, n= 189).

Method: Follow up at four years of age or more using medical records and questionnaires.

Main Outcome Measures: The presence of various morbidities including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, motor skill problems, visual handicap, hearing loss, speech and language problems, education level and acute or chronic respiratory problems.

Results: Median follow up of seven years (range 4-12) was achieved in 159 infants in the study group (83%), 122 in control group I (64%) and 110 in control group II (58%). Missing data analysis showed no differences in neonatal characteristics and morbidity between infants with and without follow up in the study group. All major and minor handicaps were less frequent in the study group than in control group I but statistical significance was reached only for acute and chronic respiratory disorders in the study group (13.8%) compared with control group I (27%).

Conclusion: Average delay of delivery of two weeks with temporising management in severe early onset pre-eclampsia is associated with a reduced risk of respiratory disorders in childhood.