FETAL GROWTH RETARDATION AND PRE‐ECLAMPSIA

Abstract

In a series of 2434 patients with pre-eclampsia, the prevalence of fetal growth retardation was 8.7 per cent compared with 8.6 per cent in the total hospital population. The prevalence was increased in early-onset pre-eclampsia (18.2 per cent) (P <0.001) and reduced in late-onset pre-eclampsia (5.6 per cent) (P <0.00l). In patients who later developed early-onset pre-eclampsia with fetal growth retardation, the prevalence of subnormal oestriol excretion was significantly increased (79.5 per cent) (P <0.001) as was the prevalence of hypoglycaemia (33.3 per cent) (P <0.001) suggesting that fetal growth retardation in these pregnancies preceded the clinical signs of pre-eclampsia. The prevalence of placental abruption (8.3 per cent) and the prevalence of perinatal deaths (28.7 per cent) were both significantly higher in pregnancies with early-onset pre-eclampsia and fetal growth retardation (P <0.001).