Maternal obesity and perinatal oxidative stress: the strength of the association.
Maternal obesity is a chronic inflammatory state, which has been shown to induce increased levels of free fatty acids, reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cells. Recent evidence reveals increased levels of lipid peroxidation products in the plasma of obese women during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that maternal overweight or obesity is associated with increased oxidative stress (OS) in offspring. Two hundred and forty-five pregnant women and their newborns were prospectively enrolled. Mothers were divided in two groups: lean control - LC (n=175, Group I); overweight or obese (n=70, Group II) according to BMI ≥ 25 before pregnancy. Cord blood F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), as reliable markers of OS, were measured in all newborns. Lower 1 minute APGAR score and higher weight at discharge were found in Group II neonates, compared to those of Group I (p less than 0.05). Small for gestational age (SGA) newborns of both groups showed increased levels of F2-IsoPs than appropriate (AGA) or large (LGA) for gestational age (GA) (p less than 0.01). SGA newborns of Group II had higher F2-IsoPs levels compared to SGA of Group I (p less than 0.01), which were significantly correlated to maternal BMI at the end of pregnancy (r=0.451, p less than 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis corrected for confounding factors, showed that maternal overweight or obesity was significantly associated with high F2-IsoPs levels in SGA offspring (p less than 0.01). Maternal overweight or obesity is associated with increased OS in their SGA newborns. Data suggest the need of antioxidant protection for both mothers during pregnancy and infants soon after birth.
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Negro
Department of Neonatology, Aretaieion University Hospital, University of Athens, Greece.
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Boutsikou
Department of Neonatology, Aretaieion University Hospital, University of Athens, Greece.
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Briana
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Tataranno
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Longini
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Proietti
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Bazzini
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Dani
Department of Neonatology, Aretaieion University Hospital, University of Athens, Greece.
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Malamitsi-Puchner
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Buonocore
Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Perrone
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D028441:F2-Isoprostanes