June 2026, Volume 4, Issue 6

Author

S. Vinitha, B. Anitha, Vasmathie S and Saravanan T

Abstract

Background: Preeclampsia is a common high blood pressure problem during pregnancy and is an important cause of illness and death in both mothers and babies. A genetic variation called MTHFR C677T may play a role in causing preeclampsia. It can increase homocysteine levels in the blood, which may damage blood vessels and affect proper blood flow to the placenta. Methods: This study was a hospital-based case-control study conducted at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital from May 2019 to February 2020. It included 50 women with preeclampsia and 30 healthy pregnant women as controls. The MTHFR C677T gene variation was studied using PCR-RFLP technique with HinfI enzyme and gel electrophoresis. Blood tests such as LDH, urea, creatinine, uric acid, liver enzymes, and urine protein-creatinine ratio were also measured. Statistical tests like Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and odds ratio with confidence interval were used for analysis. Results: The abnormal genotype (CT+TT) was seen more often in preeclampsia patients (56.0%) compared to controls (23.3%), and this difference was statistically significant. The T allele was also more common in cases than controls. Blood pressure levels were significantly higher in preeclampsia patients. Serum LDH levels were also much higher in cases compared to controls. Conclusion: The MTHFR C677T gene variation and T allele are more common in women with preeclampsia, suggesting a genetic risk factor for the disease. Serum LDH can be used as a helpful marker to assess disease severity. Further studies with larger samples are needed to better understand the relationship between this gene variation and homocysteine levels.