FIRST-TRIMESTER NEUTROPHIL-TO-LYMPHOCYTE RATIO AS AN EARLY PREDICTOR OF PREECLAMPSIA: A HOSPITAL-BASED PROSPECTIVE ANALYTICAL STUDY

Background: Preeclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries, and is increasingly understood as a disorder of systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation arising from defective placentation. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived from a routine complete blood count, has emerged as a simple, inexpensive marker of this inflammatory milieu. The present study evaluated the predictive value of first-trimester NLR for the development and severity of preeclampsia. Methods: A hospital-based prospective analytical study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pt. J.N.M. Medical College and Dr. B.R.A.M. Hospital, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) between March 2024 and March 2026. A total of 295 singleton primigravidae between 7 and 14 weeks of gestation were enrolled by consecutive sampling. First-trimester NLR was calculated as the ratio of neutrophil to lymphocyte percentages on a routine complete blood count, and women were followed prospectively until delivery for the development of preeclampsia, classified as mild or severe and as early- or late-onset.