HEaLthy Pregnancy (HELP) Study



  • Investigators
  • Dr. Sapna Vyakaranam, MBBS, M.D.
  • Dr. Kalpana Betha, MBBS, M.D.
  • Dr. Rashmi Pant, Biostatistician, SHARE INDIA
  • Dr. Aparna Varma, Professor and Head, Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, Bibinagar
  • Dr. Padma Yalamati, Consultant Biochemist, CARE Hospitals
  • Funding source: SHARE INDIA and SHARE USA
  • About the Project:

Hypertensive disorders of the pregnancy cover a spectrum of conditions including preeclampsia, eclampsia, chronic hypertension and preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension. Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality (number of still births and deaths of new-born in first week of life). Hypertensive disorders of the pregnancy occur in about 10% of all pregnant women around the world. Preeclampsia effects 3-5% of pregnancies. SHARE INDIA earlier conducted and published studies on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

  • Aims:

To identify whether the early rise in blood pressure or serum creatinine or serum uric acid or serum cystatin C or urine protein creatinine ratio compared to the 1st trimester (baseline) value predicts the later onset of hypertensive disorders. It also aims to study the association between these markers and maternal and fetal outcomes.

  • Objectives:
  • Measure blood pressure, serum uric acid, serum creatinine and serum cystatin C (stored at - 80°C) and urine protein creatinine ratio every month during the course of pregnancy and examine the tracking of these markers to identify which marker, individually or in combination helps in the prediction of hypertensive disorders at the earliest.
  • Methods:
  • Healthy Pregnancy (HELP) Study is a cohort study of pregnant women. The study initially enrolled 1000 pregnant women and followed them throughout the pregnancy till delivery, while these women visit the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MIMS.
  • Status of the project:
  • There were no new women recruited in the study and the recruited women could not be followed up due to COVID-19 pandemic. Data was reorganized to make it analyzable. Work is being carried out on writing a cohort study paper on the HELP study.