Abstract

Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is a type of hypertension that occurs during pregnancy, affecting 6-10% of pregnancies. The study aimed to evaluate the role of Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels in second trimester in predicting the on set of pre-eclampsia. The study population included 120 pregnant women in their second trimester who were normotensive and non-proteinuric, selected using consecutive sampling. The blood pressure of the participants was monitored, and the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, method of delivery, gestational age, and fetal outcome were documented. The level of Beta HCG was measured using the ELISA method, and the results were statistically analyzed. Among a total of 120 pregnant women were analyzed, with 21.5% having hypertension in pregnancy. The results showed a relationship between maternal serum β-hCG levels and the development of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH), but the sensitivity was only 25% with a specificity of 75.93%. The study found that β-hCG MOM levels alone are not a highly reliable predictor for PIH, with the model having limited ability to differentiate between women who develop PIH and those who don't. The study also showed a strong statistical association between gestational age and NICU admission as potential risk factors for the development of PIH. In conclusion, β-hCG levels may have some utility in predicting PIH, but further studies are needed to determine the most effective markers and understand the underlying mechanisms.

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Funding