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.