Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the plasma levels of natriuretic peptides amino-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) and amino-terminal pro C-type natriuretic peptide (NT proCNP) during pregnancy and any possible changes occurring in each trimester.
Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal case-control study conducted in a University Hospital antenatal outpatient clinic. Subjects were all healthy pregnant women without a history of previous cardiac disease, hypertension or preeclampsia, and each patient was assessed during every trimester, and blood samples were collected for the measurement of NT proBNP and NT proCNP levels.
Results: Twenty pregnant women were followed-up during pregnancy without any complications. We obtained longitudinal levels of natriuretic peptides in each trimester. The mean NT proBNP levels were 14.95 ± 16.8, 9.37 ± 10.76, 52.48 ± 126.65 pmol/ml and the mean NT proCNP levels were 44.64 ± 41.64, 45.70 ± 47.03, 47.22 ± 55.09 pmol/l, respectively. No statistically significant alteration of plasma levels of natriuretic peptides was detected between trimesters.
Conclusion: This is the first study evaluating the longitudinal levels of NT proCNP during the pregnancy, and demonstrates that NT proCNP remained constant, but NT proBNP levels do not significantly alter during pregnancy.
Keywords: Maternal adaptation; NT proBNP; NT proCNP; natriuretic peptides; pregnancy.