The Association between Fetal Growth Restriction and Maternal Morbidity

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to compare adverse maternal outcomes between pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR) and those without FGR. Study Design This was a secondary analysis of the data from the Consortium on Safe Labor, which was conducted from 2002 to 2008 in 12 clinical centers with 19 hospitals across 9 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists districts. We included singleton pregnancies without any maternal comorbidities or placenta abnormalities. We compared the outcomes of individuals with FGR with individuals without FGR. Our primary outcome was severe maternal morbidity. Our secondary outcome included various adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to obtain adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusting for confounders. Missing values for maternal age and body mass index were imputed. Results Of 199,611 individuals, 4,554 (2.3%) had FGR and 195,057 (97.7%) did not have FGR. Compared with the individuals without FGR, individuals with FGR had increased odds of severe maternal morbidity (0.6 vs. 1.3%; aOR: 1.97 [95% CI: 1.51–2.57]), cesarean delivery (27.7 vs. 41.2%; aOR: 2.31 [95% CI: 2.16–2.48]), pregnancy-associated hypertension (8.3 vs. 19.2%; aOR: 2.76 [95% CI: 2.55–2.99]), preeclampsia without severe features (3.2 vs. 4.7%; aOR: 1.45 [95% CI: 1.26–1.68]), preeclampsia with severe features (1.4 vs. 8.6%; aOR: 6.04 [95% CI: 5.39–6.76]), superimposed preeclampsia (18.3 vs. 30.2%; aOR: 1.99 [95% CI: 1.53–2.59]), neonatal intensive care unit admission (9.7 vs. 28.4%; aOR: 3.53 [95% CI: 3.28–3.8]), respiratory distress syndrome (2.2 vs. 7.7%; aOR: 3.57 [95% CI: 3.15–4.04]), transient tachypnea of the newborn (3.3 vs. 5.4%; aOR: 1.62 [95% CI: 1.40–1.87]), and neonatal sepsis (2.1 vs. 5.5%; aOR: 2.43 [95% CI: 2.10–2.80]). Conclusion FGR was associated with increased odds of severe maternal outcomes in addition to adverse neonatal outcomes. Key Points