Ascorbic Acid Concentrations in Umbilical Cord Veins and Arteries of Preterm and Term Newborns

Guajardo, Leonel; Beharrys, Kay D.A.; Modanlou, Houchang D.; Aranda, Jacob V.

doi:10.1159/000244210

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Our results indicate that vitamin C may be one of the contributors to preterm delivery. These findings are consistent with some recently reported studies where it was suggested that vitamin C supplementation increases the risk of preterm birth [17,27] . In a recent randomized, placebo-controlled trial, there was no change in the rate of preterm births when healthy nulliparous women were given supplements of 1,000 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E daily during pregnancy [12] .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

High Maternal Plasma Antioxidant Concentrations Associated with Preterm Delivery

et al. 2008

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Background/Aims: Our earlier study has shown that increased maternal oxidative stress and reduced antioxidants like vitamin E and C play an important role in fetal growth in preeclampsia. However, the role of antioxidants and their effects on gestation and birth outcome in normotensive pregnancies are not conclusive. The present study examined plasma malondialdehyde as a marker of oxidative stress and antioxidant concentrations (vitamins E and C) in maternal as well as in cord blood samples in normotensive women who delivered both preterm and at term. Methods: 140 normotensive pregnant women were recruited at Bharati Medical Hospital, Pune, India, during the year 2007. Maternal and cord samples were examined for oxidative stress levels and vitamin C and E concentrations in women who delivered preterm (n = 40) and at term (n = 100). Mean values were compared with those of women delivering at term using the t test. Results: Increased (p < 0.05) oxidative stress was seen in preterm mothers as well as in cord samples. Preterm mothers had higher vitamin C concentrations (p < 0.05), and these were positively associated with oxidative stress (p = 0.02). Vitamin E levels were comparable between groups. Conclusions: Increased maternal circulating vitamin C concentrations and increased oxidative stress are associated with preterm delivery.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

High Maternal Plasma Antioxidant Concentrations Associated with Preterm Delivery

et al. 2008

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“…Although vitamin E belongs to the first line of antioxidant defence against lipid-soluble peroxyl radicals (Frei et al 1992), vitamin C is capable of regenerating oxidized vitamin E (Iioka et al 1991), while being consumed. In contrast to lipid-soluble antioxidant levels, however, vitamin C levels in umbilical vein plasma are higher than levels in maternal plasma (Guajardo et al 1995). Nonetheless, the total antioxidant capacity of serum to inhibit autoxidation of brain homogenates is lower in neonates than in adults (Sullivan & Newton, 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Maternal and neonatal plasma antioxidant levels in normal pregnancy, and the relationship with fatty acid unsaturation

Oostenbrug

Mensink

et al. 1998

Br J Nutr

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During pregnancy, maternal plasma concentrations of the peroxidation-susceptible polyunsaturated fatty acids (polyenes) increase. In addition, the proportion of polyenes is higher in neonatal plasma than in maternal plasma. To study whether these increased amounts of polyenes affect antioxidant levels, we measured lipid-soluble antioxidants in maternal and neonatal plasmas obtained during thirty-five normal pregnancies. These values were then related to the degree of phospholipid-fatty acid unsaturation. Maternal plasma levels of tocopherols and lutein increased during pregnancy, as assessed at 14, 22, and 32 weeks of gestation. However, b-carotene levels decreased, and levels of other carotenoids remained unchanged. Retinol levels were only decreased at 32 weeks of gestation. The value for a-tocopherol : phospholipid-polyene unsaturation index (UI) also increased during pregnancy, despite the observed increase in UI. Corresponding ratios for several carotenoids and retinol, however, decreased during pregnancy. After delivery, maternal plasma levels of d-tocopherol and b þ g-tocopherol, as well as b þ g-tocopherol : UI values, were lower than values at 32 weeks of gestation. Umbilical-cord plasma antioxidant levels and antioxidant : UI values, except retinol : UI, were significantly lower than maternal values. Significant and consistent cord v. maternal correlations were observed for plasma levels of b þ gtocopherol, lutein and b-carotene, but not for d-tocopherol, a-tocopherol, lycopene, a-carotene, and retinol. In conclusion, although during pregnancy maternal plasma tocopherol levels increased concurrently with, or more than, fatty acid unsaturation in plasma phospholipids, the decrease in carotenoid : UI values during gestation, the decrease in maternal plasma levels of d-tocopherol and b þ g-tocopherol after delivery, and the low neonatal antioxidant levels merit further investigation. Pregnancy: Fatty acid unsaturation: AntioxidantsResults from a prospective survey have shown that in pregnant women the total amount of fatty acids in plasma phospholipids increase by 51 % from week 10 to week 40 of gestation . The largest increases were noticed in the concentrations of saturated (þ57 %) and monounsaturated (þ65 %) fatty acids, but n-6 (þ44 %) and n-3 (þ41 %) polyunsaturated fatty acids levels were also significantly increased. In addition, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found to be higher in neonatal plasma than in maternal plasma.

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“…When mothers at risk of preterm delivery were supplemented with b-carotene and vitamins C and E, the plasma malondialdehyde level was significantly lower than in control mothers at delivery (Bolisetty et al, 2002). When the status of vitamins C and E in cord blood was compared, preterm babies had lower concentrations of vitamins C and E than term babies did (Guajardo et al, 1995;Baydas et al, 2002). However, there has been little research on the effect of the levels of vitamins C and E in pregnant women on fetal growth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester on birth weight and length

et al. 2004

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Objective: It has been known that maternal oxidative stress during pregnancy plays an important role in fetal growth. However, the association between antioxidant vitamin levels and birth outcomes is not conclusive. We investigated the relationship between maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester and birth weight and length. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Outpatient-clinic of obstetrics, Ewha Womans University Hospital, South Korea. Subjects and methods: The study subjects were 239 healthy, pregnant women who visited an obstetric clinic for antenatal care, and their singleton live births, in Seoul, Korea, between August 2001 and March 2003. We measured the levels of vitamins C and E in maternal serum during the period 24-28 gestational weeks. Each woman was interviewed for dietary intake by trained interviewers during the second trimester. Results: The serum concentration of maternal vitamin C during the second trimester was significantly associated with birth weight and length in the group of full-term deliveries. An increase of 1 mg/ml in the serum vitamin C level increased the birth weight by 27.2 g and the birth length by 0.17 cm. When we considered the levels of vitamins C and E together in the relationship with birth weight and length, we found that the heaviest birth weight and the longest birth length belonged to the group of upper vitamin C/ upper vitamin E. However, dietary intake estimated by 24-h recall method was not a predictor of the levels of serum vitamins C and E. Conclusion: We found that maternal serum vitamin C levels during the second trimester were positively correlated with birth weight and length in full-term babies. We also found that birth weight and length were highest when the levels of both vitamins C and E were high. Our results indicate the importance of antioxidant nutrient balance for pregnant women who are exposed to various oxidants through food, drinking water, or inhaled air.

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Ascorbic Acid Concentrations in Umbilical Cord Veins and Arteries of Preterm and Term Newborns

Cited by 18 publications

References 27 publications

High Maternal Plasma Antioxidant Concentrations Associated with Preterm Delivery

High Maternal Plasma Antioxidant Concentrations Associated with Preterm Delivery

Maternal and neonatal plasma antioxidant levels in normal pregnancy, and the relationship with fatty acid unsaturation

Influence of maternal serum levels of vitamins C and E during the second trimester on birth weight and length

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