Preeclampsia, one of the hypertensive disordersof pregnancy, is a disease of vascular endothelial dysfunction occurringafter 20 weeks of gestation and can present as late as 4-6 weeks postpartum. It is clinically defined by gestational hypertension and proteinuria, with or without edema. Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a protein from the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, which promotes angiogenesis, maintains fetal blood supply despite any maternal generalized vasoconstriction and is present in high concentration in the trophoblastic tissues. Any abnormal levels can be associated with placental insufficiency, therefore bad prognosis of preeclamptic disorders.
AIM OF THE WORK:
To assess serum level of maternal PlGF in pregnant women with high risk of developing preeclampsia and its role in prediction of secondary fetal and maternal outcomes.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
The study was a case series randomized study conducted on 250 pregnant females with high risk of developing preeclampsia attending antenatal care clinic in El-Shatby maternity university hospital. Women were approached individually, after being consented to be included in the study, and they were asked for blood samples to assess serum level of placental growth factor.