The Association of Prenatal C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-8 Levels with Maternal Characteristics and Preterm Birth.

Objective: The determinants of preterm birth remain unknown. Excessive maternal inflammation during pregnancy may play an important role in the pathogenesis of preterm birth. Our objective was to describe the association of prenatal levels of proinflammatory C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) with preterm birth in participants of the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial.

Study Design: Five hundred and twenty-eight patients with available samples of both first- and third-trimester plasma were included in this analysis. CRP and IL-8 were measured from maternal prenatal samples. We examined the association between prenatal CRP and IL-8 with maternal health characteristics and the outcome of preterm birth. We also described the patterns of change in CRP and IL-8 from first to third trimester and their association with preterm birth. A subgroup analysis comparing only those with a spontaneous preterm birth phenotype to those with term birth was also performed.

Results: Maternal characteristics including lower educational attainment, higher prepregnancy body mass index, gestational diabetes, lower vitamin D, and an unhealthy diet were associated with elevated levels of prenatal CRP and IL-8. Higher third trimester CRP and an increase in CRP from first to third trimester were associated with an increased odds of preterm birth when compared to lower levels of CRP (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 2.23,  = 0.04) or a decrease in CRP over pregnancy (aOR = 3.06, 95% CI = 1.31,7.55,  = 0.01), after adjusting for potential confounders. These associations were strengthened when comparing only patients with spontaneous preterm birth ( = 22) to those with term births.

Conclusion: Higher levels of the proinflammatory markers CRP and IL-8 are associated with indicators of poor maternal health and preterm birth. Prenatal CRP levels may reflect maternal prenatal health status and serve as a predictor of preterm birth, especially among those with spontaneous preterm birth.

Key Points: · Elevated prenatal CRP is associated with poor maternal health.. · High prenatal CRP may predict premature birth, especially spontaneous premature birth phenotypes.. · Vitamin D insufficiency may be a modifiable risk factor for prenatal inflammation..