What is the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus on frequency of structural chromosome aberrations in pregnant women and their offspring?

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as carbohydrate intolerance which results in hyperglycemia first diagnosed during pregnancy. It is associated with an increased levels of oxidative stress due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overproduction of ROS induces protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and different types of DNA damage.

Elevated frequencies of micronuclei in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in their newborns.

Pregestational diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) affects about 1% of the obstetric population. In diabetes, persistent hyperglycemia can be a source of DNA damage via overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test, we measured the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) per 1000 binucleated (BN) cells in pregnant women (mothers) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and in their newborns.

Evaluation of chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchange and micronuclei in cultured cord-blood lymphocytes of newborns of women treated for epilepsy during pregnancy.

Epidemiological data indicate that pregnancies of epileptic women constitute about 1% of all pregnancies. Newborns of mothers exposed to anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are at increased risk for major congenital malformations, cognitive impairment and fetal death. Cord-blood lymphocytes of the newborns whose mothers received long-term AEDs therapy during pregnancy were used in this study.

The effect of antiepileptic drugs administered in pregnancy on micronucleus frequency in cord blood lymphocytes.

Objectives: Epidemiological data indicate that the pregnancies of epileptic women constitute about 1% of all pregnancies. A large group of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) applied in long-term monotherapy or polytherapy produce toxic metabolites as well as free radicals and reactive oxygen species. The aim of this study was to assess the potential genotoxic effect of AED therapy in pregnancy on DNA structure of umbilical cord blood lymphocytes.

[Pathogenesis and genetics of neural tube defects].

After congenital heart defects neural tube defects (NTDs) is the second most prevalent congenital malformation among birth defects. The average rate of isolated NTDs is 1.4-2.