IRON STATUS IN PREECLAMPSIA

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate iron status in pregnancy induced hypertension and role of iron in the etiologyand pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Design: Coefficient correlation study. Place and Duration. At Department ofBiochemistry, Frontier Medical College, Abbottabad with collaboration of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad from March 2006-March 2007. Material and Methods: Study was performed onhundred pregnant women of age ranging between 15-35 years and having gestational age between28 to 34 weeks.Fifty obstetric patients were identified as having pre-eclampsia. Fifty healthy pregnant subjects were taken as controls,having uncomplicated pregnancies and were normotensive throughout gestation and without proteinuria. Results:Results depicts that mean age of pre-eclamptic group was significantly low (P<0.001) as compared to control. Bothparameters, Hemoglobin and Haematocrit were significantly higher (P<0.05) in pre-eclamptic as compared to controls.Serum iron, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation were significantly higher (P<0.001) in pre-eclamptic in comparisonwith control group. Total iron binding capacity and unsaturated iron binding capacity were significantly lower (P<0.001)in pre-eclamptic group when compared to control group. Correlation coefficient between serum iron, total iron bindingcapacity (TIBC), serum ferritin, unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure inpre-eclamptic group showed no significant positive correlation in any parameter. Conclusion: It is concluded thathemoglobin, haematocrit, serum iron, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation are significantly increased in pregnantwomen that later develops pre-eclampsia. Excess iron is postulated as casual factor in the oxidative stress ie; in itsradical form, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Therefore, iron status of pregnant womenshould be assessed before giving iron supplements as these may cause more harm than benefit.