title: C-reactive protein increases with gestational age during pregnancy among Chinese women.
abstract: To examine the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) in relation to gestational weeks during pregnancy among Chinese women.
  
  
  
  From a randomized control trial of prenatal supplementation with folic acid, iron-folic acid, and multiple micronutrients in China, we examined 834 pregnant women with CRP measured initially between 5 and 20 weeks and at follow-up between 28 and 32 weeks gestation. We calculated and plotted CRP geometric means by gestational weeks. The same analysis was repeated for women who had normal pregnancies (624 women) by excluding women with stillbirth, preterm, small for gestational age, body mass index <18.5 kg/m(2) or >30 kg/m(2) at enrollment, and hypertension or anemia during pregnancy.
  
  
  
  We observed a significant positive trend between log-transformed CRP and gestational age from 5 to 20 weeks and from 28 to 32 weeks both in the full sample and in the subset of women who had normal pregnancies. CRP geometric mean was 0.81 mg/l at 5-7 weeks of gestation, 2.85 mg/l at 19-20 weeks of gestation, and 3.89 mg/l at 32 weeks of gestation. A similar increasing trend in the CRP median or percentage of elevated CRP were also observed.
  
  
  
  We concluded that CRP increased with gestational age among healthy Chinese women who delivered healthy infants. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:574-579, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Zuguo
authors: Z
authors: Mei
authors: Peking University Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
authors: Hongtian
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Mary K
authors: MK
authors: Serdula
authors: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Rafael C
authors: RC
authors: Flores-Ayala
authors: Peking University Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
authors: Linlin
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Peking University Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
authors: Jian-Meng
authors: JM
authors: Liu
authors: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Laurence M
authors: LM
authors: Grummer-Strawn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D018977:Micronutrients; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron