A Comparative Study on the Association of Labour process with Oxidative stress in Normal and Preeclamptic mothers

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. An increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in antioxidant activity in preeclamptic women with hypertension have been reported. The present contribution aimed to understand the effect of labour on the levels of free radicals in normotesive pregnant mothers (control group) and hypertensive preeclamptic mothers. Serum MDA (Malondialdehyde) is used as a marker of oxidative stress mediated changes in the study subjects and the levels of enzymatic antioxidants viz SOD, GRx, GPx in the arterial blood (before delivery) and in cord blood are estimated. The results indicate that in hypertensive preeclamptic mothers, there is a significant (p<0.001) increase in the levels of serum MDA and a significant (p<0.001) decrease in the levels of antioxidant enzymes in cord blood when compared to control groups. This is attributed to the oxidative stress during labour pain. Hence it is inferred that antioxidant supplementation during pregnancy could prevent oxidative stress mediated changes to cell and biomolecules during the gestational period.