Lipid Peroxidation in Pregnancy

Abstract

Lipid peroxides and oxygen radicals are highly reactive and very damaging compounds. In normal pregnancy lipid peroxides increase, but antioxidants also increase to offset their toxic actions. However, this is not the case in preeclampsia. In women with preeclampsia, circulating levels of lipid peroxides are increased, but net antioxidant activity is decreased as compared to normally pregnant women. A source of circulating levels of lipid peroxides in pregnancy is the placenta because the placenta produces and secretes lipid peroxides, and lipid peroxide levels decrease after delivery of the placenta. Other sources are activated neutrophils, radical-initiated propagation, and self-propagation. Although some lipid peroxides are unstable, those present in oxidized low-density lipoproteins have a half-life of 3 h in die circulation and so function as circulating compounds. In preeclampsia, placental production of lipid peroxides is significantly increased, and this is correlated with significantly increased ...