Oxidative stress early in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome

The objectives of this study were to determine whether oxidative stress early in pregnancy influenced pregnancy outcome. A combination of assays were used for exogenous and endogenous anti-oxidants together with two well accepted biomarkers for oxidative stress, the urinary excretion of 8-iso-PGF(2alpha) (a biomarker marker for lipid oxidation, n=508) and 8-oxo-7,8 dihydro-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker for DNA oxidation, n=487). The two biomarkers tracked different pregnancy outcomes. Isoprostanes were associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia and a decreased proportion of female births. In contrast, 8-OHdG tracked lower infant birthweight and shortened gestation duration. Birth defects were associated with low levels of 8-OHdG.