title: Maternal C-reactive protein in early pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare maternal C-reactive protein concentration in the first 18 weeks of pregnancy with the nonpregnant adult reference range.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. Electronic address: pmaguire7@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: O'Higgins
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Complications Research Centre, Conway Institute, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Complications Research Centre, Conway Institute, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Carel W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: le Roux
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Maternal C-reactive protein; Maternal infection; Maternal obesity