Objective: The aim of our study is to assess the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women, and to evaluate the effect of severity of anemia on maternal and perinatal outcome. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from hospital records. Study population of all pregnant women who had delivered in our hospital after twenty weeks gestation between July 2014 and December 2016. Results: A total of 2654 pregnant women fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 42% were anemic, 83.3% mild anemia group (I) which represents the majority of patients and 16.7% moderate to severe anemia group (II). The majority of cases were due to iron deficiency anemia 92.8%, while 7.2% were due to sickle cell trait, B-thalassemia intermedia, and other causes. The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, cesarean delivery, and infections was significantly higher in group II compared to group I (5.4%, 40.3%, 3.8% Vs, 2.9%, 31.0%, 2.0%; p = 0.007, 0.041, 0.043 respectively). Low Apgar score, preterm labor, and low birth weight babies were significantly higher in group II compared to group I (11.8%, 12.9%, 11.3% Vs 8.7%, 9.0%, 7.4%; p = 0.034, 0.046, 0.032). Conclusions: This study clarified that anemia is prevalent among pregnant women particularly mild anemia. Early diagnosis and treatment from first trimester has an essential role in managing maternal anemia and it reflects directly on the perinatal outcome. Prematurity, low birth weight infants, and postpartum hemorrhage are the commonest maternal and neonatal complications.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine changes in maternal serum leptin level during pregnancy and after labor in preeclamptic patients compared to healthy pregnant women. Furthermore, to investigate whether maternal serum leptin levels are correlated to the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of the study participants, and the possible correlation between maternal and neonatal leptin levels. Subjects and Methods: In this case control study, a total number of fifty five pregnant women in third trimester of pregnancy (≥28 weeks) were recruited. All of them were of the same age, body mass index, and gestational age. After a detailed obstetrical and medical history, they were divided into 2 groups. Group (A) 30 pregnant women with preeclampsia, and Group (B) 25 normotensive pregnant women. Results: During pregnancy, maternal serum leptin levels were significantly higher 41.0 ± 9.78 ng/ml in preeclamptic group compared to control group 24.6 ± 3.64 ng/ml (p = 0.007). After labor, it decreased significantly in both groups to 15.3 ± 3.19, and 11.2 ± 2.68 ng/ml respectively (p = 0.001, 0.002). In group (A) there were significant positive correlations between maternal serum leptin and diastolic blood pressure ( = 0.419, = 0.021), total cholesterol ( = 0.383, = 0.026), and uric acid ( = 0.424, = 0.012) compared to controls, and no significant correlations were found between maternal serum leptin and body mass index, neonatal birth weight or cord leptin level in both groups. Conclusion: Maternal serum leptin is significantly increased in preeclamptic patients compared with normal pregnant women independent of body mass index. There is strong evidence that placenta, rather than maternal adipose tissue is responsible for that. In addition, maternal serum leptin levels were found to correlate positively with diastolic blood pressure, uric acid, and total cholesterol, but not correlated with body mass index, cord blood leptin and birth weight.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine status in pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy and their relationship to fetal birth weight and their correlation to corresponding neonatal cord blood levels, and in addition, to evaluate the possibility of maternal serum homocysteine level as a predictor of low birth weight infants. Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of two hundred pregnant women in third trimester (≥28 weeks) were recruited. After a detailed obstetrical and medical history, and clinical assessment, participants were subdivided into two groups: Group (A)-pregnant women who delivered average birth weight (ABW) infants and Group (B) for those who delivered low birth weight (LBW) infants between completed 37 and 42 weeks. Results: Vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in 24.1% of the total cohort. The mean vitamin B12 level was significantly lower in group (B) compared to group (A) (195.2 ± 38.9 vs. 225.9 ± 66.59 respectively P = 0.008). The mean level of homocysteine for women in group (B) was significantly higher than those determined from women in group (A) (9.10 ± 5.9 vs. 7.6 ± 3.83 respectively, P = 0.042). On the other hand, the mean folate levels showed statistically insignificant differences between both groups. The mean cord vitamin B12 level was significantly lower in LBW infants in comparison to ABW infants (277 ± 61.93 vs. 312.03 ± 81.87 respectively, P = 0.015), while the mean level of cord homocysteine for LBW infants was significantly higher than those levels determined from ABW infants (7.9 ± 3.79 vs. 6.6 ± 2.09 respec- deficiency could be significant risk for LBW infants. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been shown to be a predictor for adverse pregnancy outcomes particularly LBW.