Comparison of serum testosterone in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women

Abstract

Background: preeclampsia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. Although the pathophysiology of preeclampsia is still unknown but several investigators have demonstrated the assosiation of androgen especially testosterone with hypertention. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine and comparsion of serum testosterone in preeclampsia and normptensive pregnant women. Method: Serum testosterone was measured in 20 subjects in the third trimester of pregnancy with preeclampsia and 20 healthy normotensive women with similar gestational ages. All subjects were women with singletone pregnancies who were seen in the postpartum department at Kosar hospital. Test and chi-square were used as statistical tests. Findings: Testosterone levels were significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia (1.9 0.5) ng/dl) than in the control group (0.58 0.3 ng/dl) (P