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The following is a summary of “Association of Pregnancy Complications and Postpartum Maternal Leukocyte Telomeres in two diverse cohorts: A Nested Case-control Study,” published in the July 2024 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Panelli et al.

Oxidative stress has been linked to reduced leukocyte telomere length (LTL), and is also associated with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth. However, the interactions between these factors remain poorly understood. 

This study aims to explore the associations between postpartum maternal LTL and the incidence of preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth.

This pilot nested case-control study utilized data from 2 independent cohorts of individuals with singleton pregnancies recruited from 2 academic institutions that were Cohort 1 (referred to as Suburban) included participants enrolled before 20 weeks of gestation between 2012 and 2018, while Cohort 2 (referred to as Urban) comprised individuals recruited at delivery between 2000 and 2012. The study focused on preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth as primary pregnancy complications, comparing these cases to controls who experienced uncomplicated term births. Postpartum blood samples, collected between day 1 and 6 months after delivery, were frozen and subsequently thawed for analysis. Postpartum LTL, the primary outcome, was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed through linear multivariable regression models, adjusting for maternal age. Secondary analyses were conducted stratified by mode of delivery and self-reported stress levels during pregnancy.

About 156 participants were included, with 66 from the Suburban Cohort and 90 from the Urban Cohort. The Suburban Cohort was predominantly White, Hispanic, and of higher income, while the Urban Cohort was largely Black, Haitian, and of lower income. In the Urban Cohort, there was a trend towards shorter LTL among individuals with preeclampsia (6517 bp vs. 6913 bp, P= 0.07), although this was not observed in the Suburban Cohort. No significant differences in LTL were found between individuals with spontaneous preterm birth and term controls in either cohort (Suburban: 6044 bp vs. 6144 bp, P= 0.64; Urban: 6717 bp vs. 6913 bp, P= 0.37). The mode of delivery did not influence LTL. In the Urban Cohort, preeclampsia was associated with shorter postpartum LTLs among individuals experiencing moderate stress levels (P= 0.02).

This exploratory study provides insights into the relationship between postpartum maternal LTL and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth, based on data from 2 distinct cohorts. These preliminary findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the role of LTL in pregnancy-related outcomes.

Source: bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-024-06688-5