Patrick J Maguire1, Karen A Power2, Amy C O'Higgins2, Sabrina Jackson3, Ruth Harley2, Carel W le Roux3, Michael J Turner2. 1. UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. Electronic address: pmaguire7@gmail.com. 2. UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. 3. Diabetes Complications Research Centre, Conway Institute, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal C-reactive protein concentration in the first 18 weeks of pregnancy with the nonpregnant adult reference range. STUDY DESIGN: Serum samples from healthy women with a pregnancy <18 weeks' gestation were retrieved from a Hospital biological resource bank. C-reactive protein was measured using an immunoturbidimetric assay. Clinical and sociodemographic details were retrieved from the Hospital's computerized database. RESULTS: Of the 146 women, 85 (58.2%) were nulliparous, 11 (7.5%) were smokers and 22 (15.1%) were obese. Mean gestational age at phlebotomy was 12.5 (range 8.1-17.4) weeks. Median C-reactive protein was 3.2 (interquartile range 0.3-12.1)mg/L. There were 74 women (50.7%) with C-reactive protein level >3.0mg/L which is above the nonpregnant adult reference range. C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with increasing Body Mass Index. No relationship was found between C-reactive protein and age, smoking or gestational age. CONCLUSION: C-reactive protein concentration in a well-characterized population in early pregnancy was higher than that cited for the nonpregnant adult, and C-reactive protein was positively associated with Body Mass Index. Therefore, caution is needed in the use and interpretation of C-reactive protein measurements in early pregnancy to avoid unnecessary interventions in women with suspected illness.
OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal C-reactive protein concentration in the first 18 weeks of pregnancy with the nonpregnant adult reference range. STUDY DESIGN: Serum samples from healthy women with a pregnancy <18 weeks' gestation were retrieved from a Hospital biological resource bank. C-reactive protein was measured using an immunoturbidimetric assay. Clinical and sociodemographic details were retrieved from the Hospital's computerized database. RESULTS: Of the 146 women, 85 (58.2%) were nulliparous, 11 (7.5%) were smokers and 22 (15.1%) were obese. Mean gestational age at phlebotomy was 12.5 (range 8.1-17.4) weeks. Median C-reactive protein was 3.2 (interquartile range 0.3-12.1)mg/L. There were 74 women (50.7%) with C-reactive protein level >3.0mg/L which is above the nonpregnant adult reference range. C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with increasing Body Mass Index. No relationship was found between C-reactive protein and age, smoking or gestational age. CONCLUSION:C-reactive protein concentration in a well-characterized population in early pregnancy was higher than that cited for the nonpregnant adult, and C-reactive protein was positively associated with Body Mass Index. Therefore, caution is needed in the use and interpretation of C-reactive protein measurements in early pregnancy to avoid unnecessary interventions in women with suspected illness.