Changes in homocysteine levels during normal pregnancy and preeclampsia and its relation with oxidative stress

Preeclampsia is one of the most common pregnancy complications causing high morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus especially in developing countries. Although the exact cause of preeclampsia is still unknown, the basic pathology lies in the endothelial dysfunction and intense vasospasm. 1 Homocysteine is an amino acid formed during demethylation of dietary methionine. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are now recognized as an important risk marker for both preeclampsia and eclampsia. 2 The vascular effects of hyper homocysteinemia includes endothelial cell injury and thrombus formation. Elevated plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease. 3