UNLABELLED: The purpose of this investigation was to measure the effect of ferrous iron therapy on indices of oxidative stress in pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nineteen healthy pregnant women with borderline anemia were subjected to per oral ferrous iron in prophylactic doses (36 mg daily, +Fe group, n=13) or did not get any treatment (-Fe group, n=6). The indices measured in two time-points were: conjugated dienes, lag phase of low-density lipoproteins, total antioxidant activity of the serum, total glutathione and its fractions, protein carbonyls, catalase, ferritin, serum iron and unsaturated iron binding capacity. RESULTS: All women had high values of conjugated dienes, total antioxidant activity and short lag phases of low-density lipoproteins in both time points. Elevated values of oxidized glutathione in both groups increased about 2-fold and reached a significant difference level (p=0.02) by the end of the test period. CONCLUSION: Low doses of per oral ferrous iron did not change deleteriously the physiological pattern of parameters of oxidative stress in our small group of healthy pregnant non-smokers but the elevation of oxidized glutathione might imply on the elevation of risk.
UNLABELLED: The purpose of this investigation was to measure the effect of ferrous iron therapy on indices of oxidative stress in pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nineteen healthy pregnant women with borderline anemia were subjected to per oral ferrous iron in prophylactic doses (36 mg daily, +Fe group, n=13) or did not get any treatment (-Fe group, n=6). The indices measured in two time-points were: conjugated dienes, lag phase of low-density lipoproteins, total antioxidant activity of the serum, total glutathione and its fractions, protein carbonyls, catalase, ferritin, serum iron and unsaturated iron binding capacity. RESULTS: All women had high values of conjugated dienes, total antioxidant activity and short lag phases of low-density lipoproteins in both time points. Elevated values of oxidized glutathione in both groups increased about 2-fold and reached a significant difference level (p=0.02) by the end of the test period. CONCLUSION: Low doses of per oral ferrous iron did not change deleteriously the physiological pattern of parameters of oxidative stress in our small group of healthy pregnant non-smokers but the elevation of oxidized glutathione might imply on the elevation of risk.