Serum Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity in Preeclampsia

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific condition that increases maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Exact etiology of preeclampsia is still not known but certain hypothesis suggest it may be associated with an increased vascular resistance of uterine artery and decrease in perfusion of placenta. It has been suggested that lipid peroxidation plays an important role in the etiology of preeclampsia. Iron and hematin proteins play important roles as catalysts of lipid peroxidation in tissues. The aim of study was to estimate and compare serum iron and total iron binding capacity in preeclamptic women and normal pregnant women. Study was conducted in Government Medical Hospital Miraj with 120 subjects. The studied population consisted: group I (40 normal pregnant women) and group II (80 pregnant women with preeclampsia). Serum iron and total iron binding capacity values were measured by ferrozine method. We found significantly high serum iron and significantly low total iron binding capacity in preeclamptic women as compare to normal pregnant women (p<0.001). So elevated serum iron and decreased total iron binding capacity may play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.