Study of Serum Superoxide Dismutase and Malondialdehyde Levels during Normal Pregnancy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Pregnancy is accompanied by a high-energy demand of all body functions and an increased oxygen requirement, which can give rise to increased levels of oxidative stress. Aims and objectives The present study was done to assess the levels of oxidative stress in healthy pregnant females by estimating serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and comparing these with nonpregnant females. Materials and methods The study was conducted on 88 female subjects in the age group of 20 to 40 years, who were placed in two groups. Group I consisted of 50 healthy nonpregnant females. Group II consisted of healthy pregnant females further subdivided into three subgroups: Group IIa (1st trimester) n = 38, group IIb (2nd trimester) n = 32, and group IIc (3rd trimester) n = 30. The same subjects were followed up till the 3rd trimester. There was a drop in the number of subjects from 38 to 32 in the 2nd trimester and from 32 to 30 in the 3rd trimester due to noncompliance and development of complications of pregnancy. The subjects were assessed for hemoglobin (Hb), MDA, a marker for lipid peroxidation, and SOD, an antioxidant enzyme along with certain physiological parameters like height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure in the three trimesters. Results The levels of SOD and MDA were significantly raised with the progression of pregnancy. There was a fall in Hb levels in the 3rd trimester. But no significant correlation could be drawn between the measured parameters in all the trimesters. Conclusion Pregnancy is definitely associated with oxidative stress to the body. Both peroxidation and antioxidation reactions are enhanced during pregnancy. With these findings, we therefore conclude that antioxidant supplements should be prescribed in early pregnancy to prevent the overwhelming of oxidative stress in pregnant females. How to cite this article Bassi R, Sharma S, Mehta K, Kaur M, Kaur D. Study of Serum Superoxide Dismutase and Malondialdehyde Levels during Normal Pregnancy. Curr Trends Diagn Treat 2017;1(1):1-5.