Table 1.

Baseline clinical characteristics of the study and control group

	Control (n = 24)	Fetal distress (n = 22)
Maternal age (years)	27.7 ± 5.0	30.5 ± 4.8*
Gestational age (weeks)	39.1 ± 1.6	35.7 ± 2.8*
Neonate weight (g)	3371 ± 614	2345 ± 794*
Smokers (n (%))	1 (4.3%)	1 (4.5%)
Caesarian section	1 (4.3%)	8 (36.4%)*
Other pregnancy complications
Premature rupture of the membrane	0	4 (18.1%)*
Pregnancy induced hypertension	0	4 (18.1%)*
Intrauterine growth restriction (<10th adjusted centile)	0	3 (13.6%)*
Pre-eclampsia	0	1 (4.5%)
Olygohydraminos	0	1 (4.5%)

^*statistically significant.