Maternal-foetal status of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in obese gestational diabetic pregnancies

Obesity is well known to be a contributory risk factor for several disease states, including diabetes mellitus. Paucity of data on maternal-foetal status of essential trace elements in obese diabetic pregnancies prompted us to undertake this study. Maternal venous and umbilical arterial and venous blood samples were collected from obese gestational diabetic patients (Body Mass Index (BMI) >30) and control obese pregnant women (BMI>30) at time of spontaneous delivery or caesarean sections and concentrations of essential trace elements such as Cu, Fe, Mo, Se and Zn were determined in various samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and total antioxidant (TAO) in maternal and umbilical blood were assessed using appropriate reagent kits. Maternal-foetal disposition and exchange parameters of elements studied were assessed using established criteria. Concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mo, Se and Zn in serum of control obese pregnant women (n=10) averaged 2404, 2663, 11.0, 89.0 and 666 microg/l respectively, while in the obese diabetic group (n=11), the corresponding values averaged 2441, 2580, 13.3, 85.1 and 610 microg/l respectively. Activities of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, GPX and TAO were not significantly different in maternal veins of control and diabetic groups. Varying differences were noted in the case of antioxidant enzyme activities in umbilical blood samples of control and study groups. We conclude that obesity is not associated with significant alterations in antioxidant enzyme status in gestational diabetes and only with relatively minor alterations in status of some essential trace elements.