Researchers have discovered biomarkers that could potentially act as an early warning system for several dangerous pregnancy complications.
These include pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and intrahepatic cholestasis. The causes of these conditions are not well understood, but they have been found to be connected to the gut microbiome, which can be affected by pregnancy.
The team at Ningbo University in China, led by Dr. Siqian Chen, looked at the levels of short-chain fatty acids, which are produced by the fermentation of microbiota, to see if they could be used as biomarkers for these complications.
The study recruited 112 women, dividing them into four groups: those who had healthy pregnancies, and those who were diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, or intrahepatic cholestasis. The team took medical histories and samples of blood from the participants, which were analyzed for levels of seven short-chain fatty acids. They found several potential biomarkers among the short-chain fatty acids, particularly isobutyric acid. Elevated levels of this acid were found in all three groups of women who experienced the specified complications. Patients with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia also had elevated levels of other acids, which may be linked to dyslipidemia.
On the other hand, women with intrahepatic cholestasis had much lower levels of all short-chain fatty acids, except isobutyric acid. Their levels of hexanoic acid also correlated strongly with their illness. The researchers suggest that the lower levels of short-chain fatty acids in this group may be due to a lower abundance of gut flora, while the hexanoic acid may be linked to related inflammation.
This research provides a foundation for the prevention of pregnancy-related diseases in the future, but further studies are needed to determine the correlation between the microbiome and short-chain fatty acid levels, as well as the impact of lifestyle factors on the microbiome.