The Consequences of Fasting During Pregnancy on the Thiole/Disulfide Balance: An Observational Study

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this research was to examine the impact of fasting on thiol-disulfide hemostasis in a population of healthy pregnant women.
 Material and Methods: The study, conducted during Ramadan in 2021, included a control group of 53 pregnant women who were fasting and 57 pregnant women with similar demographics who were not fasting. The disulfide, native thiol, and total thiol concentrations in centrifuged blood plasma and venous blood plasma were all looked at. The ratios "disulphide/thiol 100," "disulphide/total thiol 100," and "thiol/total thiol 100" were all calculated.
 Results: There were 32 pregnant women in the second trimester and 21 pregnant women in the third trimester among fasting participants, whereas there were 33 pregnant women in the second trimester and 24 pregnant women in the third trimester among non-fasting participants. Disulfide, disulfide/nativethiol*100, disulfide/totalthiol*100, and native/totalthiol*100 ratios were not significantly different between groups. A statistically significant difference was seen between the groups when comparing the mean values of native thiol and total thiol.
 Conclusion: Our research is one of the first to examine homeostasis in pregnant women who were fasting, making it a remarkable advance in the field. The study demonstrated a discernible alteration in the thiol-disulfide balance, enhancing the process of oxidation. Fasting during pregnancy is associated with an increase in oxidative stress.