K.A. Teramo, V.K. Hiilesmaa, R. Schwartz, G.K. Clemons, J.A. Widness
Amniotic fluid and cord plasma erythropoietin levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension and chronic hypertension
Aims: The purpose of the present study was to compare
fetal and neonatal outcomes with amniotic fluid erythropoietin
(EPO) levels obtained in the antepartum period in
pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced
hypertension or chronic hypertension.
Methods: Erythropoietin concentrations were measured
in amniotic fluid within 2 days before delivery and in cord
blood at birth in 75 hypertensive women and in 23
healthy controls delivered by cesarean section before
labor contractions. Erythropoietin levels did not influence
clinical decisions.
Results: Amniotic fluid erythropoietin levels correlated
highly significantly with cord plasma EPO levels and were
significantly higher in pregnancies complicated by hypertension
than in control pregnancies. Umbilical arterial pH,
acid-base and blood gas values at birth were not different
from controls. Both cord plasma and amniotic fluid
erythropoietin levels correlated with cord blood pH, acidbase
and blood gas values at birth in the study group.
Newborn infants admitted to the newborn intensive care
unit had significantly higher fetal erythropoietin levels and
were more acidotic, hypoxemic and hypoglycemic than
infants admitted to the normal care nursery.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that elevated amniotic
fluid erythropoietin levels are markers of chronic or
subchronic fetal hypoxia and are associated with neonatal
morbidity in pregnancies complicated by
hypertension.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 32, 05/2004
Pages: 240 - 247
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