Incidence of Fetal Growth Restriction in Women with Preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia (PE), accompanied by fetal growth restriction (FGR), is one of the causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Some known pregestational conditions and obstetrical complications, together with PE, play a critical role in developing fetal complication outcomes, including FGR. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pregestational conditions & obstetrical complications and fetal outcomes in women with PE. Methods and Results: This retrospective study was conducted at the University Clinical Center of Kosova, Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics. We have reviewed all the medical records of 226 pregnant patients with preeclampsia who delivered by cesarean section (C-section) between January 2017 and December 2021. The mean gestational age at delivery was 34 weeks and 6 days, indicating that most of our cases had experienced preterm delivery. Preeclampsia was defined according to the ACOG criteria. Most patients diagnosed with preeclampsia (78.8%) have no other pregestational conditions or obstetrical complications. Among other obstetrical complications, placental abruption and oligohydramnios are the most common (8.8% and 8.0%, respectively). Fetal growth abnormalities were detected in 86 cases (38.1%): FGR in 85 cases (37.6%) and macrosomia in only one case (0.44%) (P<0.0001) in a diabetic patient. A weak statistically significant positive correlation was found between gestational age and FGR (r=0.216, P=0.001). Conclusion: A positive correlation between gestational age in PE and FGR indicates common pathophysiological mechanisms linking PE and FGR. Preeclampsia can have a direct adverse impact on the fetal growth.