Oxidative and antioxidative status in pregnant women with either gestational or type 1 diabetes

To evaluate oxidative and antioxidative status in pregnant diabetic women between 26 and 32 weeks of gestation.

Free and total malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and vitamins A and E were determined in plasma and erythrocytes of 54 pregnant women. Among these, 27 were diabetics with either gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), sub-group I, or previous insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 diabetes), sub-group II. The other 27 patients were controls. Fasting plasma glucose and HbA(1c) levels were determined in all women.

HbA(1c) levels, plasma-, and erythrocyte-free MDA levels were significantly higher in all diabetic women and in both sub-groups than in controls. Plasma vitamin E and erythrocyte vitamin A levels were significantly lower in all diabetic women than in controls. Moreover, GPX and SOD activities were significantly reduced in all diabetic women, GPX in both sub-groups and SOD only in type 1 diabetes.

The increased oxidative stress we demonstrated in pregnant women with previous type 1 diabetes or with GDM should be monitored by strictly controlling blood glucose during pregnancy with stringent recommendations and perhaps antioxidant supplementation.