Homocysteine ​​- what is this analysis and how to take it. Homocysteine ​​in pregnancy planning. Norms of homocysteine ​​during pregnancy. Low and high homocysteine ​​during pregnancy. Monitoring homocysteine ​​during pregnancy will help prevent dangerous diseases.

Often during pregnancy, a woman's tests show elevated homocysteine. Not everyone is familiar with this term and therefore does not know what kind of threat the increase in this substance carries. Let's try to figure out why homocysteine ​​is important during pregnancy.

What it is?

When planning a pregnancy, a woman should take a blood test, which also detects homocysteine. This is a compound that is formed in the body when methionine is processed in it.

This amino acid comes from food. If the rate of homocysteine ​​is not exceeded, human health does not suffer. However, if homocysteine ​​is elevated during pregnancy, this leads to complications up to the loss of the fetus.

Why is homocysteine ​​so dangerous during pregnancy? The substance loosens the vessels, as a result, cholesterol and calcium settle on them, which leads to the formation of cholesterol plaques. Blood clots gradually form, threatening human life.

If homocysteine ​​is elevated, then during pregnancy this condition threatens to disrupt blood circulation between the mother's body and the fetus.

Why does it rise and why is it dangerous?

Homocysteine ​​can be elevated during planning and pregnancy for many reasons. These include:

• cigarettes;
• alcoholic drinks;
• the habit of drinking coffee often.

If homocysteine ​​is elevated, the norm is not observed when planning pregnancy, the result may be infertility or a violation in the attachment of the fetus. During pregnancy in the last trimester, an increased content of this substance can cause late toxicosis or lack of oxygen in the fetus. If homocysteine ​​is elevated during planning, a woman has a risk of giving birth to a child with low birth weight. Such children often fall ill and are born weak.

In order not to put the baby at risk, it is best to determine the level of homocysteine ​​even during pregnancy planning. To do this, talk to your gynecologist and ask for a referral. Knowing the norm of the content of this substance in the body, you will be able to independently navigate whether you need to undergo treatment.

What is the norm?

To determine if there is a risk to the fetus, you need to know what is the rate of homocysteine ​​in the body. During pregnancy allowable rate from 4.5 to 12.5 µmol/l. Permissible fluctuations of 0.5 µmol / l in one direction or another, but no more.

For children, the norm is 5 µmol / l. The guys adolescence, especially young men, the rate can rise to 6-7. For men, the norm is 5-15 µmol / l, for women the norm is 5-12 µmol / l.

Why is it decreasing?

Most often, homocysteine ​​is elevated, but there are cases when low homocysteine ​​is detected. Many women are interested in whether reduced level substances in planning and carrying pregnancy on the condition of the child. The reason for the decrease in homocysteine ​​\u200b\u200bmay be a lack of enzymes for digesting food, multiple sclerosis. However, low levels of this substance are extremely rare.

If homocysteine ​​is lowered and the norm is not respected, this does not significantly affect the course of pregnancy. However, there is a contingent of women who should do this analysis:

• women who decide to become pregnant for the second time;
• pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester;
• if a woman has previously abused smoking, alcohol or coffee;
• with diabetes and renal failure;
• with endocrine diseases;
• disorders in the work of the heart and blood vessels;
• if you have had stomach surgery before.

How to normalize?

In order for the homocysteine ​​norm to be achieved, fortification is prescribed:

• B9 (folic acid).

A diet rich in vitamin B is prescribed:

• vegetables;
• cereals;
• nuts;
• legumes;
• spinach;
• seafood.

If homocysteine ​​is elevated, meat, eggs, and dairy products are contraindicated.

When planning a pregnancy, a woman should be attentive to her health. Elevated homocysteine ​​is just one of the signals that you need to carefully consider your health and organization of the daily routine.

Blood tests during pregnancy important role throughout the gestation period. They make it possible to timely detect pathological conditions or indicate the normal course of pregnancy.

During a blood test, many indicators are taken into account. One of these is homocysteine, the control of the level of which makes it possible to exclude preeclampsia. Next, consider what it is: homocysteine ​​during pregnancy.

What is homocysteine?

Homocysteine ​​is one of the varieties of amino acids, characterized by active physiological activity. It is impossible to saturate the body with it through food, since its synthesis comes from another amino acid called methionine. In turn, methionine enters the human body together with the food consumed. It is found in almost all edible products of animal origin.

Normalized homocysteine ​​levels vary according to age characteristics. So, in representatives of the children's category of the population, such a substance is contained in fairly low quantities. With the onset of adolescence, its number increases. The achievement of maximum values ​​is observed during the onset of puberty.

During the period of gestation, a decrease in homocysteine ​​is considered normal, which is especially important at the beginning of gestation and immediately after conception. His decline plays importance because it improves blood circulation in the placenta.

As a rule, after the birth of a child, a week is given for the return of homocysteine ​​levels to normal. At the same time, a third of pregnant women have an increased level of homocysteine, which is fraught with weakening of the walls of vascular tissues and their thinning from the inside. Subsequently, it is dangerous with serious damage, when cholesterol plaques form on top of the inner walls, calcium and platelet masses accumulate. Main danger such a complication is vascular blockage followed by their break.

The plaque can come off and move through the blood flow to any organ, as a result of which severe damage to the brain, respiratory organs and heart is possible.

Excess levels of homocysteine ​​threaten miscarriage, and can also be the main reason for not being able to get pregnant. In excess, such an amino acid becomes potentially fatal to the embryo, since it directly affects the ability of blood to clot.

Norms

During pregnancy, the rate of homocysteine ​​is somewhat different. Also, the values ​​differ for the female and male categories of the population. So, in men, the norm is considered to be 5.9-16.0 µmol / l, while in women normal performance vary within 3.4-20.4 µmol/liter.

At the same time, the presented values ​​\u200b\u200bare not unambiguous, since homocysteine ​​​​during pregnancy is slightly different from the standard values.

So, best indicator expectant mothers have a range of 4.6-12.4 µmol / liter.

Elevated homocysteine

In medicine, an elevated level of homocysteine ​​in the blood is referred to by a special term, hyperhomocysteinemia. This condition may be caused various reasons among which the most common are:

• hereditary factor;
• lack of vitamins;
• diseases hormonal system accompanied by a violation of renal functionality;
• passive lifestyle;
• destructive habits;
• frequent and uncontrolled intake of certain medicines.

Let us consider in more detail how each of these causes affects the development of the pathological process:

1. Heredity

A hereditary disease that provokes an increase in homocysteine ​​in the blood is called homocystinuria, which refers to a metabolic defect caused by genetics. The disease is characterized by a violation of the process of assimilation of certain amino acids, which, in addition to jumps in the homocysteine ​​level and other substances present in the blood, leads to disruption of the functioning of the central nervous system, the work of the heart and joint tissues.

2. Avitaminosis

With an insufficient amount of vitamins in the body, an increase in the level of homocysteine ​​is also often noted. IN this case pathology is treated with vitamin complexes.

3. Passive lifestyle

Unbalanced diet, accompanied by a passive lifestyle and the presence of bad habits, leads to a disturbed metabolic process, as a result of which there is no timely breakdown of homocysteine, which subsequently begins to rise. In order to normalize the condition, one should abandon bad habits, giving preference to sports vigorous activity and healthy eating.

4. Medicines

Often, taking certain groups of drugs can provoke pathological process in blood. So, for example, drugs whose actions are aimed at treating psoriasis help to neutralize folic acid. At the same time, anticonvulsant and immunosuppressive drugs necessary for the treatment autoimmune diseases, provokes the breakdown of vitamin B. As a result, a deficiency of these vitamins is formed in the body, which provokes an increase in homocysteine ​​levels. Some types of antidepressants can also affect the presented amino acid.

The consequences of a high content of homocysteine ​​can be quite serious, which, first of all, will affect the vascular tissues, since the amino acid helps to weaken their walls. The most common complications of hyperhomocysteinemia are:

• atherosclerosis;
• weakening of mental activity with the subsequent development of Alzheimer's disease, which is especially often diagnosed in the elderly population;
• infarct state.

An increase in homocysteine ​​during pregnancy requires immediate treatment under medical supervision.

lowered homocysteine

If we talk about pathologies, then one of the main causes of low homocysteine ​​is multiple sclerosis. Confirmation of the diagnosis is carried out through additional research methods.

However, even a significantly reduced homocysteine ​​during pregnancy is not considered pathological, since it can be normalized by healthy eating and active physical activity. For pregnant great option will become ordinary walks or water activities. You can also increase your homocysteine ​​levels by drinking coffee.

Correction of the level of homocysteine ​​in the blood is based on 3 main principles:

• taking multivitamin complexes;
• moderate sports loads;
• balanced diet.

Pregnancy planning

It is ideal to test for the content of homocysteine ​​in the blood before pregnancy. In case of detection of pathological abnormalities, a treatment course with vitamins should be taken. It will also be helpful to reduce your caffeine intake while avoiding tobacco and alcohol products.

Each future mother high levels of homocysteine ​​during pregnancy can be detected, which is easy to detect by taking blood tests. Throughout life, the level of this substance in the body changes, and reaches its peak at the age of puberty.

Study of the level of homocysteine ​​blood test
pregnant at the doctor's accuracy
contractions clothing discomfort

Homocysteine ​​is a non-proteinogenic amino acid. It cannot be obtained with protein food, as it is independently synthesized from methionine. Level given substance in the body changes throughout a person's life, and also depends on gender.

Reasons for high rates

If the result of a blood test showed elevated homocysteine ​​​​during pregnancy, the specialist will first of all try to determine the cause of this deviation. Among the possible ones we highlight:

• lack of B vitamins: folic acid, cobalamin, thiamine, pyridoxine; Naturally, it will be necessary to comply special diet with inclusion in the diet following products: watermelons, greens, rice, millet, bakery products, cheese, eggs, caviar, buckwheat, peaches;
• smoking - you need to give up this bad habit even when planning a pregnancy, so that homocysteine ​​\u200b\u200bis in line with the norm;
• frequent consumption of coffee - this drink should be minimized;
• alcoholic beverages - during the planning of conception, it is better to abandon this “poison” altogether (at least 3 months in advance);
• flaw physical activity- as a rule, if the test results show that homocysteine ​​is elevated during pregnancy, the specialist will advise you to go in for sports: cycling, walking, skiing, skating.

All of the above factors can cause the analysis results to be distorted in a big way. That is why, if Homocysteine ​​is elevated when planning pregnancy, it is necessary to take all measures to eliminate these causes, and then re-take the tests.

In the laboratory

The norm of this substance

Consider the norms of homocysteine ​​​​during pregnancy by trimesters.

If there is an increased or decreased level of homocysteine ​​during pregnancy, the expectant mother should seek the advice of a specialist, after which it is imperative to treat this deviation. On early dates, as a rule, there is a physiological decrease in this substance.

Reasons for the low level

Low homocysteine ​​during pregnancy does not pose a danger to the unborn child.

Scientists have found that it is the reduced level of this amino acid that improves the blood supply to the placenta, and, accordingly, the nutrition of the fetus. If the indicator of this substance is below the norm, but the expectant mother feels great, and all the processes of bearing a baby proceed without complications, then you should not worry about this.

Sometimes deviations from the norm can be caused by:

• poor health of the expectant mother, which does not require medical intervention;
• if homocysteine ​​is below normal by only 3 µmol / l, this can reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, as well as prevent a possible stroke;
• lack of vitamins;
• unbalanced diet.

When homocysteine ​​is low during pregnancy, a woman may feel unwell. That is why doctors recommend that some expectant mothers monitor the level of this substance. First of all, this applies to women in the second and third trimesters, who have certain complications. Also, this category includes expectant mothers, in whom this is not the first pregnancy, or those who suffer from thrombophilia.

So that nothing bothers you while carrying a child, take a homocysteine ​​test. The level of 4.6 - 12.4 µmol / l is considered the norm for pregnant women. Deviations of 0.5 µmol/L are also acceptable.

Visit doctor

If the indicators have large deviations from the norm, you should immediately contact a specialist who will help you solve this problem.

Basic Treatments

Values ​​should be carefully monitored this indicator and not allow it to exceed the norm (it is especially dangerous if it is higher than 12.9 µmol / ml). Otherwise, during the bearing of a child, this can cause:

• violations placental circulation, in other words, the baby will lack vital substances, including oxygen;
• premature birth;
• death of the embryo.

That is why it is so important to prevent an increase in the level of homocysteine ​​even when planning a pregnancy. If the situation is out of control, the doctor prescribes medication.

Laboratory blood test

Consider the most common treatments for elevated homocysteine ​​during pregnancy.

Preventive actions

In order for the level of homocysteine ​​to be normal, it is necessary to observe a number of preventive measures, preferably even when planning a pregnancy.

1. When planning a pregnancy, pass full examination. If the results show elevated homocysteine, then before becoming pregnant, it is necessary to normalize the level of the amino acid.
2. Give up bad habits - smoking, alcohol, drugs.
3. Minimize your coffee intake.
4. 3 months before the planned conception, take vitamin complexes with a high content of folic acid, as well as vitamins of the B group.

Modern standards for the management of a pregnant woman in our country involve passing a huge number of laboratory tests over 9 months. Including in some women's consultations And perinatal centers take relatively new homocysteine ​​test during pregnancy.

Why is this analysis needed?

The level of homocysteine ​​in the blood serum during pregnancy is not studied in everyone, it refers to the analysis of a detailed coagulogram. Usually it is taken from expectant mothers with various pathologies (premature aging placenta, miscarriage, etc.). Or in women with problems conceiving and carrying a pregnancy earlier.

A blood test for homocysteine ​​is carried out not only during pregnancy, since this is a fairly popular therapeutic analysis. Homocysteine ​​is an amino acid formed from methionine, which in turn enters the body with food. Cysteine ​​is formed from homocysteine ​​under the influence of vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folic acid.

At high concentrations in blood serum, it has a toxic effect on the endothelial wall of blood vessels (the delicate inner lining of arteries and veins), and this leads to the fact that “bad” cholesterol easily settles on them, causing blood clots. Thrombosis, in turn, disrupts blood flow, including placental, and can lead to thromboembolism - separation of a portion of a blood clot and its transfer to the brain, heart, lungs or other organs, which will cause a stroke, heart or lung infarction.

Thus, this analysis is necessary to assess the coagulation system of the expectant mother or when examining a woman planning a pregnancy.

What homocysteine ​​should be during pregnancy

Its normal indicators in non-pregnant women are from 5-10 µmol / l., In the strong half, this figure is higher due to greater muscle mass. The rate of homocysteine ​​during pregnancy in the 1st trimester is almost the same - from 4 - 12 µmol / l. In the 2nd trimester, the amount of homocysteine ​​​​should decrease by 50% and remain in constant value until the birth of the child. With an increase in the content of this amino acid above the indicated figures, there is pathological condition called hyperhomocysteinemia.

What are the consequences of hyperhomocysteinemia (hereinafter referred to as HHC) in pregnant women

Elevated homocysteine ​​during pregnancy will not always lead to any consequences. Its increase increases the risks of various situations (they will be given below). It has been proven that the higher the homocysteine ​​level and the older the woman, the higher the risk.

Consequences of HHC:

• Habitual fetal loss.
• Vascular diseases, including premature aging and placental abruption. Chronic placental insufficiency.
• Delayed fetal development, the formation of defects.
• Chronic fetal hypoxia.

Why HHC Occurs

Homocysteine ​​is formed from methionine. Methionine is an amino acid that comes from food.

Foods high in methionine:

• Animal origin:
  • Liver
  • Milk
• Plant origin:
  • Legumes
  • nuts

It should be noted that there is much more methionine in animal products. Legumes and nuts also contain a sufficient amount, but it is better for a pregnant woman to reduce them in her diet.

Causes of HHC

• Lack of cofactors for the conversion of homocysteine ​​to cysteine, that is, a lack of B2, B6, B12 and folic acid. The lack of these vitamins can be observed when the expectant mother is vegetarian, especially a raw food diet, as well as in diseases of the stomach (especially with atrophic gastritis).
• For chronic diseases:
  • Arterial hypertension
  • Heart and kidney failure
  • Diabetes
  • Thyroid disease
• Bad habits:
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol abuse
  • Addiction.
  • A large amount of coffee is a powerful factor in increasing homocysteine ​​(the effect occurs when drinking 5 cups of coffee per day).
• excessive physical exercise or, conversely, lack of physical activity.

These are the so-called external factors. They don't mean that if you're a vegan smoker working as a porter, you'll have 100% elevated homocysteine ​​during pregnancy, but the percentage will certainly be high in that situation. However, the main factor in increasing its level is genetic. Mutations were found in the corresponding genes responsible for the conversion of homocysteine.

What to do with elevated homocysteine

During the bearing of a child, with an increase in homocysteine, it is necessary to use vitamin complexes containing B vitamins.
Also important is a certain diet during pregnancy with an increase in homocysteine.

Diet Basics

• Animal products must be present in the diet future mother, but with hyperhomocysteinemia, they should be limited by reducing meat consumption to 1 to 2 times a week. If a woman is a vegetarian, it is imperative to include milk or cheese in the diet, but do not abuse these products.
• Nuts. For pregnant women, it is permissible to eat 10 nuts per week, but with high level homocysteine, it is better to exclude them altogether.
• Give up coffee, drink less strong brewed tea. And, of course, avoid alcohol and cigarettes.

In addition to dieting, in some cases special anticoagulant therapy is performed (appointment low molecular weight heparins). Anticoagulants are prescribed when, with an increase in homocysteine ​​during pregnancy, there are other changes in the blood coagulation system, which are collectively called hypercoagulability (increased blood viscosity). Aspirin is sometimes prescribed, but less often than low molecular weight heparins.

If elevated homocysteine ​​​​is recorded once during pregnancy, it is necessary to retake the analysis again.

If the increase persists:

• Diet needs to be adjusted
• Check the levels of vitamins in the blood serum, and if they change, check the condition of the stomach and intestines
• Assess the entire blood coagulation system (platelets, clotting time, fibrinogen, APTT, INR, etc.)
• Assess uteroplacental blood flow and fetal condition

Homocysteine ​​is lowered during pregnancy

Very rarely, the opposite situation occurs when homocysteine ​​is lowered during pregnancy (this is a level below 4 µmol / l.). Starting from the second trimester, this phenomenon is normal, since, as indicated above, its normal level is twice that of the original. If homocysteine ​​is lowered when planning a pregnancy, then you should think about the diet - perhaps there is not enough meat.

In any case, low homocysteine ​​levels are not dangerous or even harmful! On the contrary, a decrease in the level of homocysteine ​​during childbearing contributes to the normal flow of blood to the uterus and fetus.