Pregnancy-induced hypertension and perinatal mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and perinatal mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

A population-based, retrospective, cohort study was conducted based on 16,936 pregnancies delivered between January 1, 1989, and December 31, an infant 1990, in Suzhou, China. PIH growth was classified as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or severe preeclampsia.

RESULTS

The perinatal mortality was 10.2 per thousand in normotensive women, 10.3 per thousand in women with gestational hypertension, 17.8 per thousand in women with preeclampsia and 37.0 per thousand in women with severe preeclampsia. Severe preeclampsia was associated with 3.4-fold increased perinatal mortality. After stratifying by intrauterine growth restriction status, if infants were not intrauterine growth restricted, all types of PIH were not associated with increased perinatal mortality. However, when infants were intrauterine growth restricted, all types of PIH were associated with markedly increased perinatal mortality (e.g., 15-fold increased mortality for severe preeclampsia).

CONCLUSION

Intrauterine growth restriction secondary to PIH is associated with significantly increased perinatal mortality.