The effect of placental abruption on the short-term outcome of premature infants.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of abruption on the outcome of preterm infants. Live-born infants of 23 to 32 weeks gestation born at Beaumont Hospital between 1995 and 1999 who suffered abruption constitute the study group. Controls were matched to cases by sex, gestational age, and birth weight. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for confirmation of abruption, determination of abruption grade, and subsequent neonatal outcome. Univariate analysis of the grade 2 abruption group revealed statistically significant differences in time from diagnosis to delivery (p = 0.04), Apgar scores at 5 minutes (p = 0.04), and acidotic cord blood (p = 0.04) between cases and controls. However, no differences in short-term outcome were appreciated. In addition, no differences in mortality or morbidity were noted between grade 1 abruption case and control infants. We conclude that abruption is not an independent risk factor for poor outcome among infants born between 23 and 32 weeks gestation, but instead induces the preterm delivery that is the main determinant of outcome.