title: Prooxidant-antioxidant balance in pregnancy: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of selenium supplementation.
abstract: We assessed the impact of selenium, a trace element with antioxidant properties on a simple measure of oxidative stress in pregnant women.
  
  
  
  A novel assay of prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) was applied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of selenium supplementation in pregnancy. We measured the prooxidant burden and the antioxidant capacity simultaneously in one assay, thereby calculating a redox index. A total of 166 primigravid pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy, were randomized to receive 100 microg of selenium (n=83) or placebo (n=83) per day until delivery. PAB values and serum selenium concentrations were measured at baseline and at the end of study.
  
  
  
  Pretreatment demographic data and biochemical indices including serum selenium concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups. The drop-out rates for the groups were 22/83 and 19/83 for the selenium and placebo groups, respectively. Supplementation with selenium was associated with a significant increase in mean serum selenium concentration (P<0.001) but without significant change in mean PAB value. In contrast, mean serum selenium concentration remained unchanged and mean PAB values increased significantly (P<0.05 in the control group).
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that selenium supplementation may reduce oxidative stress associated with pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Gynecology Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tara
authors.forename: Margaret P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rayman
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boskabadi
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghayour-Mobarhan
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
authors.forename: Daryoush H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Alamdari
authors.forename: Behjat S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Razavi
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tavallaie
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azimi-Nezhad
authors.forename: Mohammad T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shakeri
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oladi
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yazarlu
authors.forename: Shaida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouladan
authors.forename: Maryam Teimoori
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sangani
authors.forename: Fatemeh Rezagholizadeh
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Omran
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016877:Oxidants / Q000097:blood; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D014131:Trace Elements; D012643:Selenium