Liver Function Tests in Iraqi Pregnant Women

Hanan Jumaah Mohammed, Mohammed N. AL-Owaidi

Abstract: Liver dysfunction during pregnancy can impact both maternal and fetal health, making early detection through liver function tests (LFTs) critical for reducing complications. This case study evaluated LFTs in 36 healthy Iraqi pregnant women across all trimesters, compared with 13 age - matched non - pregnant controls. Blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin (HGB) and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma - glutamyl transferase (GGT). Results revealed a significant decrease in HGB across all trimesters (P<0.05), elevated ALP in the second (P<0.05) and third trimesters (P<0.001), increased ALT in the third trimester (P?0.05), and reduced GGT in the third trimester (P?0.05) compared to controls, while AST showed no significant change (P>0.05). These findings suggest that pregnancy induces notable liver function changes even in healthy women, highlighting the need to distinguish physiological shifts from pathological conditions for accurate diagnosis and management.

Keywords: ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, Liver function tests (LFTS), pregnancy