Prospective assessment of neurodevelopment in children following a pregnancy complicated by severe pre-eclampsia

ObjectiveTo prospectively examine whether children of women with a pregnancy affected by severe pre-eclampsia (PE), compared to children of women without a PE-affected pregnancy, have differences in neurodevelopmental performance up to 5 years of age.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingTertiary care centre.ParticipantsWomen were recruited following a PE-affected pregnancy. After each PE participant was recruited, the next normotensive woman without a prior history of PE and matched by parity, maternal age and race was invited to participate. Women with a history of chronic hypertension, diabetes or renal disease were excluded. Total enrolment included 129 PE-affected and 140 normotensive mothers.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was failure of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). The ASQ was completed yearly, until age 5.ResultsA significant difference was found in the proportion of ASQ categories failed in year 3 (p