SELENIUM STATUS AND TOTAL BLOOD ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN RUSSIAN PARTURIENT WOMEN AND THEIR NEWBORNS

Abstract

The aim: To study selenium (Se) status in Russian parturient women and their newborns as well as total serum blood antioxidant activity (AOA) as one of the integral indices of newborn and woman resistance to oxidative stress during labour. Methods: 81 mother-child pairs were enrolled in the opened, prospective medical observation. 51 pairs were from Moscow and 29 - from the other Russian town - Ryazan with lower socio-economic conditions of population life comparatively to Moscow. Selenium contents in serum blood of women and cord blood were measured by microfluorimetric method. Total serum blood AOA was determined by evaluation of malonic dialdehyde production decrease in egg yolk lipoproteins after adding to them of serum blood specimens. Results: Mean level of Se in serum blood was 75.7 ± 2.2 mkg/l (M ± m) in Moscow women, and 53.1 ± 2.2 mkg/l in Ryazanian women. Mean Se level in cord blood was 53.8 ± 1.4 mkg/l in Moscow and 44.3 ± 1.9 mkg/l - in Ryazan. The difference between cities was significant in both cases. Se status of Russian parturient women and their newborns was lower comparatively to normal levels according to the literature data (95-110 mkg/l for pregnant women and 81 mkg/l for newborns, respectively). Se content of cord blood correlated significantly with Se content in blood of women. Total serum cord blood AOA in Moscow as well as at Ryazan was higher then in parturient women blood. Total AOA depended on Se cord blood content but only at a range of Se level 50-95 mkg/l of cord blood. Summary: The Se status of Russian parturient women and their newborns is not optimal, especially at Ryazan, and needs in improvement. Total AOA is significantly higher in cord blood than in womens` blood. Total AOA correlated with Se blood level only in cord blood where Se level was in some cases very low. Conclusion: Se status of newborns depends on Se status of parturient women. The data received demonstrate the necessity to enrich the pregnant women diet with Se. Low Se status may be one of the factors limiting an increase of blood AOA necessary for prevention of oxidative stress in some physiological conditions that demand significant increase of blood AOA.