The role of c-reactive protein as a marker for preterm delivery

Abstract

Pregnancy associated maternal morbidity and mortality along with adverse pregnancy outcomes have gained momentum over the past few years, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia despite the advances in medical science. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are associated with low birth weight, growth restriction, developmental and cognitive abilities in infants and children. Medical care for preterm babies is costly, requires advanced equipment and qualified trained staff. Recently, levels/concentrations of cytokines have been used to predict and determine potential risk in various medical conditions. Biomarkers have shown to be helpful in many medical conditions and could be used to reduce the number of preterm deliveries in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine whether a highly elevated CRP serum concentration was associated with preterm delivery in a population of Rwandan mothers.