ABSTRACT
To identify the role of the anion gap estimation in the diagnosis and prognosis of pregnancy-induced hypertension. This Cohort study included 224 pregnant women that have attented the antenatal clinic. These comprise 101 women who had developed pregnancy-induced hypertension and 123 healthy pregnant women. Serum electrolytes including sodium, potassium and chloride, blood gases including bicarbonate level, serum albumin and 24 hour-proteins in urine were estimated. Anion gap was then calculated and consequently correlated to the clinical and laboratory data in both groups. Anion gap was significantly decreased in the hypertensive pregnant women than the healthy ones [P < 0.001]. This observation was more severe in the proteinuric hypertensive women than the non-proteinuric women [P< 0.01]. The value of the anion gap was negatively correlated to the severity of the disease. Anion gap depression was significantly increased with the development of placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine fetal death as well as prematurity [P < 0.05] but this correlation was not observed on the cases of fetal distress. Anion gap estimation could be a reliable test as a diagnostic adjunct in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension as well as a good prognostic test for the development of the complications