Maternal risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity - a population-based study

Abstract

Objective: Evaluation of possible perinatal risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

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Methods: An ophthalmological study of 227 premature infants was performed. Their gestation age (GA) ranged between 26 and 35 weeks and their birth weight (BW) between 850 and 2500 grams. ROP was revealed in 85 infants. The group of mothers of the infants studied comprised 79 women (there were 6 twin deliveries). Prospective and retrospective data were collected from the medical records of antenatal and neonatal units. Well known statistical methods including correlation analysis, chi-square test, Pirson’s test were applied to determine the most important predicting maternal factors for ROP development.

Results: The analysis of maternal risk factors indicated their different significance for ROP development. ROP high risk factors appeared to be related to low GA (under 32 wk gestation) (r=0,48), complications of the current pregnancy (sub-and decompensated anemia, chronic feto-placental deficiency, chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia) (r=0,42) and labor complications (pathologic maternal hemorrhage over 400 ml) (r=0,40). Relative fetal risk to be noted include maternal extragenital pathology, threatened abortion, late gestosis of stage II-III severity, gestation pyelonephritis.

Conclusions: Risk factors of ROP development are likely to be numerous and nonspecific, but at risk pregnancy is considered to be one of factors contributing to ROP onset.