Second trimester amniotic fluid endothelin concentration. A possible predictor for pre-eclampsia

L Margarit1, A Griffiths, V Tsapanos

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University Hospital of Patras, Greece. laviniamarg@yahoo.com

The mechanism of pre-eclampsia is still an enigma. There is now some evidence that amniotic concentrations of endothelin is elevated in pregnancies associated with pre-eclampsia. The aim of this prospective observational study was to record the concentration of amniotic fluid endothelin and compare this in women who develop pre-eclampsia and women who do not develop pre-eclampsia. Amniotic fluid concentration of endothelin is elevated by the second trimester in women who later develop pre-eclampsia.