Serum urate as a predictor of fetal outcome in severe pre-eclampsia.

Maternal serum urate levels were studied in 50 normal pregnancies and 72 cases of severe pre-eclampsia. Markedly elevated levels of serum urate were found in severe pre-eclampsia, compared with normal pregnancy. In severe pre-eclampsia significantly higher levels were found prior to parturition in cases of growth retardation and perinatal distress, compared with patients whose newborns were of normal size and condition. Particularly high serum urate levels were found early in the third trimester in cases of perinatal death. A slight but significant correlation was found between the weight centile of the newborn and the last maternal urate level before parturition. A rapidly rising urate level reliably predicted perinatal distress. The last maternal serum urate before parturition was correlated with the hemoglobin and erythrocyte volume fraction values in the same blood sample.