Low maternal serum levels of placenta growth factor as an antecedent of clinical preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: Maternal serum placenta growth factor levels have been shown to be significantly reduced in women with established preeclampsia. However, t he temporal change in serum placenta growth factor levels before the clinic al onset of preeclampsia is not known. STUDY DESIGN: Serum samples were collected from patients at the first prena tal (5-15 weeks' gestation), second-trimester (16-20 weeks' gestation), and third-trimester (26-30 weeks' gestation) visits. Serum placenta growth fac tor levels were determined and analyzed according to pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: Maternal placenta growth factor levels during normal gestation inc reased dramatically from the first to the third trimester. At the same gest ational time points, in contrast, significantly lower serum placenta growth factor levels were found in patients in whom mild or severe preeclampsia e ventually developed (P <.01). Low maternal serum placenta growth factor lev els during early gestation were associated with a significant odds ratio fo r development of preeclampsia (P <.005). CONCLUSION: Relatively decreased levels of serum placenta growth factor occ ur before the onset of clinical preeclampsia, which suggests that placenta growth factor measurement could be used to discriminate those pregnancies p redisposed to development of preeclampsia.