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, 1990, in Suzhou, China. PIH was classified as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or severe preeclampsia. RESULTS: The perinatal mortality was 10.2% in normotensive women, 10.3%, in women with gestational hypertension, 17.8%. in women with preeclampsia and 37.0%. 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.