Evaluation of the levels of oxidative stress factors and ischemia modified albumin in the cord blood of smoker and non-smoker pregnant women.

Objective: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the oxidant and antioxidant status and a novel ischemia marker - ischemia modified albumin - in the cord blood of smoker and non-smoker pregnants.

Methods: This study was performed on 30 smoker and 60 non-smoker pregnant women. Malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin A and E, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels and superoxide dismutase activities (SOD) were determined in the cord blood of the contributors.

Results: In the cord blood of the smoker women compared to the non-smokers; MDA (µmol/L) levels increased (5.17 ± 0.25, 3.60 ± 0.06, p = 0.000), IMA (ABSU) levels increased (0.913 ± 0.02, 0.830 ± 0.01, p = 0.050), SOD (U/ml) activities decreased (8.22 ± 0.14, 8.63 ± 0.14, p = 0.045), Vit A(µg/L) (339.06 ± 17.52, 454.91 ± 16.56, p = 0.000) and Vit E (mg/L) levels decreased (2.8 ± 0.15, 7.58 ± 0.38, p = 0.000) and TAC (Mm Trolox) levels decreased (3.25 ± 0.15, 4.08 ± 0.09, p = 0.000), and these differences were statistically significant. We found moderate and strong positive correlations between smoking status and IMA (r = 0.325, p = 0.002) and smoking status and MDA levels (r = 0.636, p = 0.000). Smoking status presented weak, moderate and strong negative correlations with SOD activities, TAC, Vit A and Vit E levels, respectively (r = -0.237, p = 0.024), (r = -0.420, p = 0.000), (r = -0.443, p=0.000), (r = -0.795, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: It was determined that smoking cigarette during gestation disturbed the balance between the oxidant and antioxidant system and caused oxidative stress. Increased IMA levels in cord blood of smoker pregnants suggests that smoking during pregnancy causes fetal ischemia.