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)