Perinatal outcome associated with placental
abruption, intrauterine asphyxia and prematurity. (17)
Our study demonstrated that neonatal morbidities
increased significantly among HELLP syndrome
group, including low Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes
and majorities of such morbidities were due to
prematurity.
HELLP syndrome was rapidly progressive with
more maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality,
sometimes were not complete criteria of HELLP
syndrome but significantly increased rate of cesarean
delivery, eclampsia and preterm delivery. (18)
The limitation of this study were small sample
size for HELLP syndrome group because we have
clinical practice guideline for proper management of
severe pre-eclampsia so that patients with severe
pre-eclampsia usually did not progress to HELLP
syndrome, lost some data from medical records and
the last, some pregnant women did not delivery in
our hospital because some cases had been refer to
other hospitals.
Severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome
must be diagnosed as soon as possible, so as to get
the good maternal and perinatal outcomes. So, this
is recommended that all pregnant or post-delivery
women with slight or severe blood pressure elevation
should be investigated in order to make an early
diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia or HELLP
syndrome.
VOL. 16, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2008 Khumsat R et al. Incidence and risk factors of HELLP syndrome in Thai 197
pregnant women with severe pre-eclampsia
In conclusion, the incidence of HELLP
syndrome in Siriraj Hospital was 12.5%. The factors
that associated with HELLP syndrome included more
maternal age, preterm gestational age. Maternal and
neonatal morbidities increased among that HELLP
syndrome. Therefore, early diagnosis and proper
management could be attempted to improve
maternal and perinatal outcomes.