Maternal and neonatal complications
The outcomes of the study were related to maternal complications,
such as preterm labor (delivery before 37 weeks),
pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) or pre-eclampsia, cesarean
section, vacuum extraction, prolonged labor, shoulder
dystocia and third- or fourth-degree perineal laceration, and
to neonatal complications, such as macrosomia (birth weights
>4000 g) and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit
(NICU). Chronic hypertension was defined as hypertension that
is present and observable before pregnancy or thatwas diagnosed
before the 20th week of gestation. Hypertension was defined as
blood pressure (BP) 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic.
PIH was transient hypertension of pregnancy or chronic
hypertension identified in the latter half of pregnancy. Preeclampsia
was characterized by BP of 140/90 mmHg after
the 20thweek of gestation in awomen with previously normalBP
and who have proteinuria (0.3 g/day or 1þ on a urine
dipstick), with or without pathological edema.