Fatty acids, antioxidants, and oxidative stress in pre-eclampsia

Objective: To investigate whether free rad ical- mediated membrane Lipid peroxidation may be implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Methods: A prospective study using a sample of 55 healthy pregnant women and 60 pre-eclamptic women recruited at Bharati Medical Hospital, Pune, India. Maternal and cord samples were examined for (red blood cells and plasma) fatty acid profiles, antioxidants, and oxidative stress levels. Mean values were compared between case and control groups using the t test and Wilcoxon rank test. Results: Pre-eclamptic women showed reduced total omega-3 fatty acids (P<0.05), increased omega-6:omega-3 ratio (P<0.05), higher oxidative stress (P<0.05), and tower anti oxidant (P<0.05) levels. Similar trends were also observed in cord samples. Conclusion: Reduced antioxidants and increased oxidative stress leading to impaired essential polyunsaturated fatty acid levels may be a key factor in the development of pre-eclampsia. (c) 2007 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.