Are Elevated Homocysteine Levels at 24-28 Weeks of Gestation Risk
Factors for Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Ebru TARIM, Esra KILIÇDAĞ, Tayfun BAĞIŞ, Erdoğan ASLAN,Serkan ERKANLI, Erhan ŞİMŞEK, Esra KUŞÇU
Adana-Turkey

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study whether elevated plasma homocysteine levels at 24-28 weeks of gestation is associated with subsequent development of preeclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction in pregnant women.
STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study was conducted between April 2002 and June 2003, and involved 352 healthy pregnant women with who were at 24-28 weeks gestation. Each woman's plasma homocysteine concentration was measured between 24-28 weeks. The homocysteine concentration for the entire cohort was used to generate 50th percentile values and the patients were categorized in two groups according to the quartile ranking of their homocysteine level. (Homocysteine above and below the 50th percentile) The two study groups were compared for vitamin B12 and folic acide levels, birthweight, gestational week and the incidence of preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the incidence of preeclampsia and IUGR between the two groups. For the infants, there were no significant differences for the gestational week and birthweight. Vitamin B12 and folic acide level was significantly lower in the high-homocysteine group than in the low-homocysteine group (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma homocysteine level at 24-28 weeks of gestation is not a useful marker for the subsequent development of preeclampsia and intrauterine growht restriction.
(Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med 2005; 11:4-6)

Key Words: Homocysteine, Preeclampsia, Intrauterine growth restriction