Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in maternal and cord blood.

The present study was undertaken to determine the change of blood lipid peroxide and antioxidant status in healthy nonpregnant women (n = 20), pregnant women in the third trimester (n = 20), pregnant women during delivery (n = 26) and fetal cord blood. Plasma and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were found to be significantly higher and erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) levels were significantly lower in pregnant women in the third trimester than in nonpregnant women (p < 0.02, p < 0.03 and p < 0.001, respectively). The highest plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels and the lowest GSH levels were obtained from the pregnant women during delivery (6.99 +/- 2.35 nmol/ml, 283.20 +/- 43.81 nmol/g Hb, 6.73 +/- 2.34 micromol/g Hb, respectively). Erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-P) and glutathione reductase (GSH-R) activities were not different between the groups. Maternal plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels were significantly correlated with cord blood plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels (r = 0.63, p < 0.001, and r = 0.41, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation in GSH-R and in GSH-P activities between maternal and cord blood erythrocytes (r = 0.81, p < 0.001, and r = 0.79, p < 0.001, respectively). A significant correlation was found between maternal erythrocyte GSH-P and both cord blood erythrocyte GSH-R activities (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and cord erythrocyte GSH levels (r = 0.73, p < 0.001). There was also a significant negative correlation between maternal erythrocyte MDA and cord erythrocyte GSH-R levels (r = -0.9, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status may be changed during delivery, and these changes may affect the fetus by creating oxidative stress. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel