A prospective study of pregnancy outcome and biomarkers of oxidative stress in nulliparous obese women
Presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Reno, NV, March 14-17, 2007.
Received 22 May 2008; received in revised form 28 August 2008; accepted 13 October 2008. published online 09 February 2009.
Objective
We sought to investigate pregnancy outcome and biomarkers of oxidative stress in nulliparous obese pregnant women.
Study Design
Pregnancy outcome and blood biomarkers were assessed prospectively in 385 obese nulliparous women from the placebo arm of a randomized controlled trial.
Results
Body mass index was associated with higher rates of preeclampsia (PE) (P = .010) and cesarean section (P = .016). In all, 18.8% of infants were small for gestational age (< 10th adjusted birthweight centile), 13.4% were large for gestational age (> 90th centile), and 11.9% were preterm. The plasma ascorbic acid concentration was inversely related to small-for-gestational-age delivery (P < .025), and increased plasma triglyceride concentrations with later PE (P < .0001). Plasma uric acid concentration (P = .043) and the γ- tocopherol:α-tocopherol ratio (P = .023) were related to body mass index.
Conclusion
A previously unreported risk of fetal growth restriction associated with reduced plasma ascorbic acid concentration was identified in nulliparous obese women. The high incidence of PE and preterm birth were unrelated to oxidative stress markers.
Division of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
Reprints: Lucilla Poston, PhD, Division of Reproduction and Endocrinology, Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Kings College London, 10th Floor North Wing, St. Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, UK
Cite this article as: Rajasingam D, Seed PT, Briley AL, et al. A prospective study of pregnancy outcome and biomarkers of oxidative stress in nulliparous obese women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;200:395.e1-395.e9.
This study was supported by the Wellcome Trust (Grant no. 069056/Z/02/Z). L.P. and A.L.B. are funded by Tommy's the Baby Charity and by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) comprehensive Biomedical Research Center at Guy's & St. Thomas' National Health Service Foundation Trust in partnership with King's College London.
ABSTRACT
A prospective study of pregnancy outcome and biomarkers of oxidative stress in nulliparous obese women