elevated hcg and inhibin A

[expert@preeclampsia.org]

My wife has a history of high blood pressure in her family and is currently 16 weeks pregnant. We just received Quad test results that were taken at 15.5 weeks, and hCG and inhibin A levels were very high (2.44 MoM and 2.24 MoM respectively) with normal AFP and uE3 (1.30 and 1.02 MoM). Being a biochemist, she researched elevated hCG and inhibin A levels in pregnancy and found that they were linked to a development of pre-eclampsia. Is there a link between high hCG and inhibin A second trimester levels and pre-eclampsia? What should we do to avoid developing pre-eclampsia?

Thank you for any advice you can give.

[expert@preeclampsia.org]

One of the problems with early tests that might be associated with the later development of preeclampsia is the issue of what to do with the information--can we do something to change the course of the pregnancy and the answer is "very little". The genesis of preeclampsia likely resides in the very early formation of the pregnancy, especially the placentation. Although an association with elevated hCG and inhibin A may have been reported, one can only do the things that should be done in a healthy pregnancy (eat well, exercise, attend prenatal care, etc) and the provider should be alert to the early signs of developing preeclampsia so that potentially helpful interventions (increased sedentary lifestyle with lots of rest, etc) can be undertaken early in clinical disease expression (since there is information that early intervention can achieve pregnancy prolongation). Until specific antidotes to the factors released by the placenta to target the peripheral maternal tissues can be developed, our approach to preeclampsia prevention is non-specific.