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. 2015:2015:276095.
doi: 10.1155/2015/276095. Epub 2015 Feb 1.

Placental Oxidative Status throughout Normal Gestation in Women with Uncomplicated Pregnancies

Jayasri Basu  1 , Bolek Bendek  1 , Enyonam Agamasu  1 , Carolyn M Salafia  1 , Aruna Mishra  1 , Nerys Benfield  1 , Ronak Patel  1 , Magdy Mikhail  1
Affiliations

Placental Oxidative Status throughout Normal Gestation in Women with Uncomplicated Pregnancies

Jayasri Basu et al. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2015.

Abstract

The effects of gestational age on placental oxidative balance throughout gestation were investigated in women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Placental tissues were obtained from normal pregnant women who delivered at term or underwent elective pregnancy termination at 6 to 23 + 6 weeks of pregnancy. Placental tissues were analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde, MDA) levels using commercially available kits. Two hundred and one placental tissues were analyzed and the mean ± SD MDA (pmol/mg tissue) and TAC (µmol Trolox equivalent/mg tissue) levels for first, second, and third trimester groups were 277.01 ± 204.66, 202.66 ± 185.05, and 176.97 ± 141.61, P < 0.004 and 498.62 ± 400.74, 454.90 ± 374.44, and 912.19 ± 586.21, P < 0.0001 by ANOVA, respectively. Our data reflects an increased oxidative stress in the placenta in the early phase of normal pregnancy. As pregnancy progressed, placental antioxidant protective mechanisms increased and lipid peroxidation markers decreased resulting in diminution in oxidative stress. Our findings provide a biochemical support to the concept of a hypoxic environment in early pregnancy. A decrease in placental oxidative stress in the second and third trimesters appears to be a physiological phenomenon of normal pregnancy. Deviations from this physiological phenomenon may result in placental-mediated disorders.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MDA: malondialdehyde; TAC: total antioxidant capacity. A box plot representating mean placental concentrations of TAC and MDA levels throughout gestation in normal pregnancy. The hatched bars represent mean placental TAC levels (μmol Trolox equivalent/mg tissue); the dotted bars represent mean placental MDA levels (pmol/mg tissue); and the error bars denote 95% CI.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MDA: malondialdehyde. The scatter plot showing a downward trend in placental MDA levels with an increase in gestational age in days.
Figure 3
Figure 3
TAC: total antioxidant capacity. The scatter plot showing an upward trend in placental TAC levels with an increase in gestational age in days.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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