Background: Small for gestational age is a pregnancy complication associated with a variety of adverse perinatal outcomes. The aim of the study was to investigate if sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is related to adverse short-term neonatal outcome in neonates small for gestational age in normotensive pregnancy.
Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted. Serum sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was measured in women in singleton gestation diagnosed with fetus small for gestational age. Short-term neonatal outcome analyzed in the period between birth and discharge home.
Results: Eighty-two women were included. Women with sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≥33 gave birth to neonates with lower birthweight at lower gestational age. Neonates from high ratio group suffered from respiratory disorders and NEC significantly more often. They were hospitalized at NICU more often and were discharged home significantly later. sFlt-1/PlGF ratio predicted combined neonatal outcome with sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 82.2%.
Conclusions: sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is a useful toll in prediction of short-term adverse neonatal outcome in SGA pregnancies.
Keywords: PlGF; fetal growth restriction; neonatal outcome; prediction; sFlt-1; small for gestational age.