Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) faculty member Robert S. Zeiger, MD, PhD, has coauthored a study that sheds light on the complex interplay between fetal sex, maternal race, and inflammatory markers during pregnancy. The study examined C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels in early and late pregnancy, revealing intriguing associations.
According to the findings, women carrying male fetuses had higher CRP levels during early to mid-pregnancy. Moreover, maternal race appeared to play a role, with Hispanic African American (AA) women and women of races other than White and AA exhibiting higher CRP levels in early to mid-pregnancy compared to White women. Furthermore, maternal race/ethnicity seemed to influence the relationship between fetal sex and inflammatory responses during pregnancy.
