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Is there an increased maternal-infant prevalence of Factor V Leiden in association with severe pre-eclampsia?
Lea Currie1, Michael Peek, Michelle McNiven
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, The Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT, Australia.
Objective:
To compare the prevalence of the Factor V Leiden mutation in children and maternal-infant pairs in pregnancies affected by severe pre-eclampsia with unmatched normal controls.
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
Department of Women's and Children's Health, The Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT, Australia.
Sample:
Forty-eight maternal-infant pairs where the index pregnancy was affected by severe pre-eclampsia; 46 unmatched maternal-infant pairs where the index pregnancy was defined as normal.
Methods:
DNA analysis of cheek swab samples obtained from maternal-infant pairs for the Factor V Leiden mutation.
Main Outcome Measure:
The prevalence of the Factor V Leiden mutation in mothers, infants and maternal-infant pairs in association with severe pre-eclampsia compared with unmatched controls.
Results:
No difference was detected in the prevalence of Factor V Leiden mutation between the women and children of both groups, nor the maternal-infant pairs from each group.
Conclusions:
No evidence was found of an increased prevalence of the Factor V Leiden mutation in either the mothers or children in association with severe pre-eclampsia. This result argues against a Factor V Leiden fetal or maternal contribution to the development of severe pre-eclampsia.