MID-GESTATIONAL SERUM LEPTIN CONCENTRATION IN OBESE AND NON-OBESE GHANAIAN MOTHERS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH GESTATIONAL OUTCOME.

Background: Leptin is produced abundantly in adipose tissue and in human placental trophoblast so serum leptin concentration in BMI matched pregnant women is higher than non-pregnant women. The aim of the study was to compare serum leptin concentration of obese and non-obese pregnant Ghanaian women and to match it with pregnancy outcome. Method: This was a nested case control study, for which 80 antenatal women grouped into obese (cases) and non-obese (control) based on their booking body mass index (non-obese≤29.9kg/m²<obese). The participants had their mid gestation (20-24 weeks) serum stored until delivery and serum leptin concentration of the first 20 cases and 20 controls who delivered at the study site were compared to examine if it had effect on gestational outcome. Correlation between leptin concentration, gestational age at delivery and birth weight were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results: The ages, median (range) 31(20-39) of cases and controls 32 (17-40) were not significantly different. There was no significant difference between the serum leptin concentration of cases 1.9 (0.5-50) ng/ml and controls 1.9 (1.5-50) ng/ml (P>0.05) and these had no correlation with maternal BMI or with baby’s Apgar scores. Our study subsequently, found no correlation between maternal mid-gestational leptin concentration and gestational age at delivery, as well as with birth weight of neonates. Conclusion: Mid-gestational leptin concentration did not correlate with BMI in pregnant Ghanaian women and our study failed to find correlation between mid-gestational leptin concentration and gestational age at delivery.