Ascorbic Acid Concentration in Amniotic Fluid in Late Pregnancy

Abstract

Amniotic fluid and venous blood specimens were obtained from 34 pregnant women and analyzed for the ascorbic acid concentration. The mean amniotic ascorbic acid concentration of smoking pregnant women was less than 50% of that of non-smoking women. Pregnant women who smoked had a significantly lower serum and amniotic fluid ascorbic acid concentration than those who did not smoke. No differences were observed between the groups with or without premature rupture of the fetal membrane. The results suggest that ascorbic acid in the amniotic fluid reflects the ascorbic acid status in the blood of pregnant women and smoking had a greater effect in decreasing the ascorbic acid concentration in amniotic fluid than in serum.

The Fetal Membranes and Mechanisms Underlying Their Labour-Associated and Pre-Labour Rupture During Pregnancy

“…164−166 This also provides a link with other behavioural factors such as smoking, which depletes systemic ascorbate levels. 167 However other studies have reported a specific association between PPROM and decreased ascorbate levels in fetal serum, placentae, 168 and in amniotic fluid, but not in maternal serum. 169 In this latter study dietary intake directly correlated with amniotic fluid levels but not with serum ascorbic acid levels.…”

“…170 Interestingly smoking has also been linked with reduced ascorbic acid levels in the amniotic fluid. 167 This relationship between ascorbate and PPROM could appear paradoxical given that ascorbate levels are reduced in patients with a high-risk of pre-eclampsia, 171 and the lack of clinical co-presentation of these conditions. However this may be explicable if it is local amniotic fluid and fetal membrane levels of ascorbate, and not maternal levels that are crucial to ECM synthesis in fetal membranes.…”

“…For example smoking could interact at many levels with infective aetiopathology. Smoking depletes ascorbic acid levels in the serum, vaginal and cervical cells and amniotic fluid, 167 leads to the production of a compromised ECM, increases the risk of trans-cervical infection, affects the protective ability of the amniochorion against damage by free radicals, all of which lead to a higher risk of rupture when the membranes are subjected to distension. These risk factors could also have differential interactive impact at different periods of pregnancy to contribute to gestational-specific periods of susceptibility for membrane rupture.…”

Establishment of Dietary Reference Intakes for Dietary Antioxidants

“…Ascorbic acid deficiency during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of infections, premature rupture of the membranes (Casanueva et al, 1993;Pfeffer et al, 1996), premature birth (Casanueva et al, 1993;Tlaskal and Novakova, 1990), and eclampsia (Jendryczko and Tomala, 1995). In addition, both serum and amniotic fluid concentrations of ascorbic acid are decreased in pregnant smokers compared to nonsmokers (Barrett et al, 1991).…”

Poor Vitamin C Status Late in Pregnancy Is Associated with Increased Risk of Complications in Type 1 Diabetic Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In humans, abortion and premature rupture of the fetal membrane are related to low levels of vitC in plasma, leucocytes, and amniotic fluid [16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24]. Abnormalities of cardiotocography (CTG) and discolored/green amniotic fluid was also associated with low vitC status at the time of delivery [25].…”