Oxidative Stress Marker and Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is a state of extremely increased oxidative stress. Hence, research and test of role and significance of oxidative stress in hypertensive disturbance in pregnancy is very important.

Aims of this research were to determine a level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) as oxidative stress marker in blood of pregnant woman with pregnancy induced hypertension and to analyze correlation of TBARS values with blood pressure values in pregnancy induced hypertensive pregnant women.

Research has been performed at the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Centre in the Republic of Srpska. It covered 100 pregnant women with hypertension and 100 healthy pregnant women of gestation period from 28 to 40 weeks. Level of TBARS is determined as an equivalent of malondialdehyde standard, in accordance with recommendations by producer (Oxi Select TBARS Analisa Kit).

Pregnancy induced hypertension is a state of extremely increased oxidative stress. All pregnant women experiencing hypertension had increased TBARS values in medium value interval over 20 µmol, 66%, whereas in group of healthy pregnant women, only 1% experienced increased TBARS value. Pregnant women with difficult preeclampsia (32%) had high TBARS values, over 40 µmol, and with mild PIH, only 4.9% pregnant women.

Pregnant women with pregnancy induced hypertension have extremely increased degree of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. TBARS values are in positive correlation with blood pressure values, respectively the highest TBARS value were present in pregnant women with the highest blood pressure values.