Amniotic fluid and cord plasma erythropoietin levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension and chronic hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
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, acid-base 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.
Teramo
Kari A
KA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Kari.Teramo@huch.fi
Hiilesmaa
Vilho K
VK
Schwartz
Robert
R
Clemons
Gisela K
GK
Widness
John A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012372:ROC Curve
D015415:Biomarkers; D004921:Erythropoietin