Population characteristics
The study population that met the inclusion criteria comprised of 5957
pregnancies who attended the hospital for assessment between
11+2 to 14+1 weeks’ gestation.
PE at any gestation developed in 408 (6.8%) pregnancies and preterm PE
in 49 (0.8%) pregnancies. There was a statistically significant trend
in the rates of emergency caesarean section (p=<0.001),
proportion of admission to NICU (p=<0.001) between pregnancies
without PE, pregnancies complicated by term PE and those complicated by
preterm PE. Among the cohort of women without PE in our study cohort,
21% delivered by emergency caesarean. Among those with term and preterm
PE, this proportion was 43% and 71.4%, respectively. (Table 2)
Similarly, preterm PE was more likely to result in NICU admission. Rates
of admission to NICU were 5.9%, 9.4% and 41% with uncomplicated
pregnancies, term PE and preterm PE, respectively. (Table 2)
The length of stay in NICU for pregnancies complicated by preterm PE was
significantly longer when compared to pregnancies without PE and those
with term PE (p=<0.001). With preterm PE, the duration of
neonatal admission was, on average, 10 days longer when compared to term
PE or uncomplicated pregnancies. (Table 2)
Finally, the probability of stillbirth was 0.3% and 4.0% in those
without PE and in those with preterm PE, respectively. Among women with
term PE in our cohort, there were no stillbirths. (Table 2)