EVALUATION OF SERUM TRANSAMINASES LEVELS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN SOKOTO METROPOLIS

Abstract

Pregnancy is associated with changes in serum transaminase levels, and this differs with each trimester. The aim is to evaluate the levels of Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) among pregnant women in Sokoto Metropolis. This study employed a comparative design to evaluate serum AST and ALT levels using Reitman-Frankel methods in 60 participants (comprising pregnant women recruited across the first, second, and third trimesters, and healthy non-pregnant women serving as control). One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean levels, and Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess relationships. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) in the mean serum ALT levels among pregnant women across different trimesters and when compared to the control group. In contrast, the mean serum AST level does not show a statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between the trimesters when compared with the control group. Crucially, there was no statistically significant relationship between ALT and AST levels within any of the three trimesters (p-values ranging from 0.140 to 0.470). This suggests the two enzymes appear to fluctuate independently of each other in this study population. This study shows the necessity for establishing region-specific normal physiological ranges for ALT during pregnancy. Pathological elevations (hypertransaminasemia) are key indicators of life-threatening obstetric complications such as HELLP syndrome, pre-eclampsia, and Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP). Therefore, clinicians in Sokoto Metropolis should utilize trimester-specific reference values for ALT to support early diagnosis and appropriate clinical interventions for at-risk pregnancies.