Relationship between homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12 levels in maternal and fetal serum and homocysteine levels in placental tissue and severity of preeclampsia

The aim of this study to evaluate maternal and fetal serum levels of homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12 and placental tissue levels of homocysteine and their association with severity of preeclampsia.A case-control study that was performed by a single center included 26 pregnant women with mild preeclampsia, 26 pregnant women with severe preeclampsia and 26 pregnant women with no health problem.All of the pregnant women who were in the third trimester were delivered in our clinic. Maternal blood was collected before delivery and fetal blood was collected from umblical cord at delivery. Placental tissue samples were obtained after delivery of placenta. Maternal and fetal blood were centrifuged and serum was separated and stored at -80° until analysis. Placental tissue samples were wrapped in aluminium foil and stored at -80° until homogenization and analysis. Homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12 levels in maternal and fetal serum and homocysteine levels in placental tissue homogenates were analysed by ICL ( chemilüminesans immunoassay).Homocysteine levels in both maternal and fetal serum were significantly higher in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia than pregnant women with mild preeclampsia and pregnant women in control group. However, homocysteine levels in both maternal and fetal serum were not significantly different between pregnant women with mild preeclampsia and controls. Folic asit and vitamin B12 levels in both maternal and fetal serum were not significantly different between in these groups. Homocysteine levels in placental tissue homogenates were very low that could not be measured in three groups (<2 µmol/l).In this study, maternal and fetal serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia than pregnant women with mild preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women. Fort that reason, elevated serum levels of homocysteine were associated with severity of preeclampsia. Relationship between elevated serum homocysteine levels and deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12 was not be detected.