Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and pre-eclampsia among pregnant women in Ardabil

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Studies have shown that certain infections can increase the risk of pre-eclampsia which one of the common infections among pregnant women was <em>H. pylori</em> with prevalence rate of 60-70% in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and pre-eclampsia among pregnant women.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Blood and stool samples were taken from 108 women with pre-eclampsia and 108 healthy pregnant women. Blood samples analyzed by ELISA for specific antibodies against <em>H. pylori</em> cytotoxin associated gene A (Cag A) antigen and stool samples were studied in terms of the presence of <em>H. pylori</em> Cag A antigen. Collected data were analyzed using statistical methods in SPSS.20. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> 30 cases (27.8%) of pre-eclampsia women and 34 (31.5%) of healthy women were sero-positive for Cag A antibodies that was not statistically significant difference. Whereas, 67 cases (62.4%) in the case group and 48 cases (44.4%) in the control group had Cag A antigen in stool samples that was statistically significant difference.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Results showed that, based on detection of <em>H. pylori</em> antigen in stool samples, frequency of active <em>H. pylori</em> in women with pre-eclampsia was 1.8 times higher than the healthy women.</p>