COMPARATIVE STUDY ON SERUM LEVELS OF HOMOCYSTEINE, FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12 IN NORMAL PREGNANTS COMPLICATED WITH ACUTE PREECLAMPSIA

Preeclampsia complicates 5 to 10 percent of all pregnancies that contribute
greatly to maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Although homocysteine is a necessary amino acid to
maintain cell growing and developing but at the serum levels above normal is a risk factor for some
endothelial damages and thrombosis inside blood vessels. In the present study, we investigated the
relationship among with serum levels of homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamin B12 and the risk of
sever preeclampsia in normal pregnant women suffering from it. The aim of this study was introducing
a way to prevent sever preeclampsia.
Materials & Methods: This study was carried out at Shahid Motahari Hospital (Urmia University of
Medical Sciences) on 2010. This study was a case-control prospective one. Serum samples of 35
preeclamptic patients and 35 women with normal pregnancy at their third three-month period were
collected and their plasma samples were separated and then frozen till assayed. Serum levels of
homocysteine, folic acid, and vitamin B12 were then measured on melted plasma samples, and then
the results were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS
program and T-Test, and proportional risk as well as confidence distance was also calculated.
Results: In the pregnant women suffering from severe preeclampsia, the concentration of
homocysteine was higher but the concentration of folic acid and vitamin B12 were lower than the
control group. (P < 0.05)
Conclusion: In our study, the third semester hyper-hemosysteinemia and lower blood levels of folic
acid and vitamin B12 were related to sever preeclampsia, which demonstrates their role in
pathological process/progress of the condition. Therefore, we suggest testing their blood levels in early
diagnosis of preeclampsia.