Some Biochemical Changes In Proteinuric Pregnant Women: Exploring Effective Management Of Proteinuria In Pregnancy

Background: Pregnancy involves many physiological and biochemical changes that impact fetal growth and maternal safety, sometimes leading to serious complications. Proteinuria is a complication of pregnancy, particularly in women with hypertension or diabetes, and is associated with increased risk of preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder that can lead to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Aim: This study was taken to evaluate some biochemical changes that occur in pregnant women with proteinuria, and determine if avoidance of these changes can effectively arrest or treat proteinuria in pregnancy. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 60 pregnant women (aged 18 to 45 years) with proteinuria attending the antenatal clinic of ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu State, Nigeria. Another 57 age-matched apparently healthy pregnant women attending the same clinic were recruited as controls. Antioxidant trace elements (zinc and selenium) were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, lipids and lipoproteins were estimated by enzymatic methods, while serum electrolytes were determined using ion-selective electrodes. Results: Mean serum electrolyte levels showed no significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). Also, there were non-significant changes in lipid and lipoprotein levels in pregnant women with proteinuria when compared with the controls, except for triglycerides, which showed a significant increase (p=0.05). However, pregnant women with proteinuria have significantly (p=0.002 each) lower levels of zinc and selenium compared to controls. Sodium and total cholesterol exhibited positive correlation with proteinuria severity (r = 0.445, p = 0.001), while others showed non-significant correlations with proteinuria severity. Conclusion: From the results, significant biochemical changes in pregnant women with proteinuria were changes in antioxidants, implicating oxidative stress as a major cause of proteinuria in pregnancy. Arrest of oxidative stress at the onset of pregnancy may likely prevent the occurrence of proteinuria in pregnancy. This calls for early antenatal registration and care.