ABSTRACT. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) continues to be a major obstetric problem in present-day healthcare practice. To supply adequate nutrition to the growing fetus, maternal physiological adjustments of different organ systems occur in pregnancy. The adjustments include circulatory, metabolic, and hormonal changes. Objective of Study: The object of this study was to investigate lipids and thyroid hormone (TT3, TT4, FT3, FT4 and TSH) status among women who were healthy and non-pregnant (HNP n = 30) compared with health pregnant (HP n = 30) women, and pregnant women with preeclampsia (PIH n = 30). Results: The mean serum TT4 and TT3 in normally pregnant woman were significantly higher compared to the levels in non-pregnant women. However, the mean FT4 and FT3 were similar in both normally pregnant and non-pregnant women. In women with preeclampsia, the mean serum TT4 and TT3 were significantly higher than in non-pregnant women. But compared to normally pregnant women, women with preeclampsia had a non-significantly higher TT4 level and a significantly lower TT3. Compared to non-pregnant women, TSH levels were significantly higher in both preeclamptic and normally pregnant women (p < 0.001). In women with preeclampsia, the mean serum FT4 was not significantly higher than in normally pregnant women, but was significantly higher than in non-pregnant women. The mean serum FT3 was similar in both non-pregnant and normally pregnant women, but was significantly lower in preeclampsia than in normally pregnant women. Conclusions: These findings indicate that there is a state of hypothyroxinemia in normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia, and that biochemical hypothyroidism (raised TSH) occurs. Identifying changes in thyroid hormone status in preeclampsia might be of help in preventing the occurrence of preeclampsia.


Keywords. Lipids • Preeclampsia • Pregnancy • Pregnancy-induced hypertension • T3 • T4 • TSH

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