5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism in black South African women with pre-eclampsia

The polymorphic C677T mutation in the gene encoding 5,10 methylenetetrahydr ofolate reductase has been shown to be a risk factor for pre-eclampsia in J apanese and European women when inherited as a homozygous trait. We attempt ed to verify these findings in a black African population with a high incid ence of pre-eclampsia. No difference in frequency of the T-allele was obser ved in 105 women with preeclampsia, compared with 110 healthy pregnant norm otensive women. Only one woman with pre-eclampsia was TT homozygous, sugges ting that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism is not an import ant factor in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia in black South African wome n.