Paediatric follow up of pregnancies complicated by subnormal oestriol excretion. Interim report.

In 92 pregnant women with low urinary oestriol excretion after 30 weeks' gestation, there was a higher incidence of fetal distress, premature delivery and induced labour, while resuscitation of the infant at birth was required more often than in controls. The birth weights, head circumference, and body lengths of the infants were significantly lower than those of the controls. In the 26 cases where maternal oestriol levels were persistently low, three were associated with placental sulphatase deficiency, and three infants died postnatally. Four infants had evidence of neurological defects on follow up, as did four infants in the control group. The low head circumferences, weight, and length were still present at two years of age. It is concluded that, although low oestriol excretion during pregnancy is associated with increased risk to the fetus, it is not associated per se with permanent neurological damage, provided the infant is born alive, and is congenitally normal. However, many infants remain smaller than average, at least for the first years of life.