Outcome measures
Demographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic records of all patients and neonates. The following characteristics were determined: Maternal age, gravidity, parity, maternal disease (i.e. diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension), length of pre- and post-delivery hospital stay; blood pressure measurements; blood work results; symptoms; pregnancy complications (i.e. intra-uterine growth restriction, placental abruption); mode of delivery; gestational age at delivery; birth weight; Apgar score; sex. Also recorded were the following neonatal complications: respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) as well as neonatal death.