Ischemia Modified Albumin as a Marker of Oxidative Stress in Normal Pregnancy

Normal pregnancy is always associated with immense stress in order to accommodate the increasing demands of the developing fetus. Various metabolic changes along with vascular remodeling occur in maternal system. Due to this, pregnancy is always associated with oxidative stress and generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) generated by ROS is found to be sensitive and early biochemical marker of ischemic heart disease and now used as an important marker to distinguish between ischemic and non-ischemic pathologies. Pregnancy being a hypoxic ischemic condition may lead to increase in serum IMA.

The present study was aimed at evaluating maternal serum Ischemia Modified Albumin (IMA) in normal pregnancy and correlate it with serum Malondialdehyde (MDA), a known lipid peroxidation marker. Similarly IMA/Albumin was evaluated for correction of decrease in serum albumin in pregnancy and correlated with serum MDA.

Serum IMA, IMA/Albumin and MDA was analysed in 40 healthy normal pregnant women and 41 non-pregnant healthy controls. Serum IMA was estimated by albumin cobalt binding test. Student t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for statistical analysis.

Serum IMA and IMA/Albumin was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in normal pregnant women (72.54±9.89 U/L, 20.16±3.94) compared to non-pregnant healthy control (48.47±8.30 U/L, 10.51±1.76). Serum MDA was also significantly higher in normal pregnant women. A statistical significant positive correlation was found between serum IMA, IMA/Albumin with MDA in normal pregnant women.

Maternal serum IMA is also increased in normal pregnancy and its correlation with MDA shows maternal serum IMA, can be considered as the marker of oxidative stress and can be used to monitor the progress of pregnancy, which may be remarkably increased in various complications related to pregnancy.