The level of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase in serum of some Nigerian pregnant women

Abstract

This study was conducted to monitor the changes in the level of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase, hsALP (principally secreted by placenta) in maternal serum during pregnancy, and to relate results to placental and birth weights. Sera samples used for the assay were collected at the 15-22, 23-30 and 31-37wk gestational age from the same set of 411 consenting ‘normal’ pregnant women in apparently good health. Two hundred and thirteen pregnant women with low mean corpuscular haemoglobin, MCH (< 27 pg) were included as control group. The subjects were drawn from seven tribal groups in Delta State. The results indicated that the percentage proportion of hsALP activity – the placental isotype in the maternal serum – was highest during the 31-37 gestational age (53%) when compared with the 15-22 (7.6%) and the 23-30 wk (40%) gestational values. The respective values for the low MCH group were 4.6%, 22.7% and 36.8%. Neonatal birth weight mean values (kg) for ‘normal’ and low MCH pregnancy are: M=3.4 + 0.6, F=3.0 + 0.8 vs M=2.7 + 0.7, F=2.6 + 0.6, respectively. For each parameter determined, tribal variations were minimal. The demonstrated trend suggests that changes in heat-stable alkaline phosphatase level support pregnancy. Thus, the established level of hsALP in maternal serum could be diagnostic in assessing foetoplacental development and maternal health among the Nigerian pregnant population.

Keywords/phrases: Heat-stable alkaline phosphatase; Neonates; Nigeria Placenta; Pregnancy.

Ethiop. J. Biol. Sci., 7(1): 85-93, 2008