Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine early postpartum maternal serum leptin levels in severe preeclamptic pregnant women. This study was planned as a prospective controlled trial. The patient and control groups in the study were composed in the period between January 2003 and January 2004. The study, performed in the Department of Perinatology of SSK Bakirkoy Maternal Hospital and Women and Child Diseases Education Hospital, consists of forty-four singleton pregnant women giving birth after hospitalized with diagnosis of severe preeclampsia and forty-four normotensive singleton pregnant women who were found to have healthy pregnancy on examination and analysis before given birth. The venous blood of all pregnants was taken from the antecubital region in early postpartum period while they were all hungry. We studied the relation between demographic data, biochemical data, baby weight at birth and the serum leptin levels. Comparing  the preeclamptic pregnant women with control group in terms of leptin, although leptin levels in severe preeclamptic pregnant women were found to be  higher than control group,  statistically, no significant difference was determined (p: 0.069). In severe preeclamptic group, baby weight at birth was found to be significantly lower (p: 0.000). Evaluating all pregnant women, it was determined that there has been a positive significant relation between serum leptin levels and diastolic tension (p: 0.044), urea (p: 0.019), creatinine (p:0.000), uric acid (p: 0.000); and a negative significant relation between serum leptin levels and baby weight at birth (p: 0.038). No relation was found between the leptin level and the gender of infants. No significant difference of early postpartum maternal serum leptin levels between severe preeclamptic group and normotensive group was determined.

Key words: Preeclampsia, early postpartum stage, serum leptin levels, severe preeclamptic pregnant women.