The effects of fetal thrombophilia in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the effects of the maternal and fetal thrombophilia in the cases of the preeclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation.Methods: The study and control groups were composed from the pregnant women who were admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Medical School of Cukurova University from the March 2007 to the February 2008. Each group was composed from the 50 subjects. The study group additionally analyzed regarding the presence of the preeclampsia (39 patients) and preeclampsia plus intrauterine growth retardation (11 patients).Venous blood samples of women were collected at the delivery for examining the vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine levels and factor V Leiden, MTHFR 667, MTHFR 1298 and Prothrombin 20210 mutations. Fetal blood samples were obtained from the umbilical cord and the presence of Factor V Leiden, MTHFR 667, MTHFR 1298 and Prothrombin 20210 mutations were evaluated.Results: Both groups were statistically identical regarding to maternal age (p=0,329), gravidity (p=0,239) and parity (p=0,679). On the other hand there were a statistically significant difference between the gestational age at delivery (p<0,001) and the birth weight (p<0,001) When the serum B12, folate and homocysteine levels were compared in each groups, there was no difference in terms of B12 (p=0,124) and folate levels (p=0,609) but homocysteine levels were significantly different (p<0,001). The groups were similar for the the frequencies of the factor V Leiden, MTHFR 667, MTHFR 1298 and prothrombin 20210 mutations.Conclusion: Although our study has demonstrated significantly higher homocysteine levels in the study group we could not detect any relationship between the inherited thrombophilias like maternal and fetal factor V leiden, MTHFR 667, MTHFR 1298, prothrombin 20210 mutations and preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation.Key Words: Fetal thrombophilia, maternal thrombophilia, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation.