Aim: 

We have been interested in finding and evaluation of indices of oxidative stress during menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Results: 

The levels of urinary hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances have been compared during the menstrual cycle of regularly menstruating women. Higher levels of both indices of oxidative stress, normalized with respect to creatinine content, were found in the luteal phase of the cycle (while data not normalized with respect to the creatinine content did not show a regular relationship to the phase of the menstrual cycle). This effect can seemingly be attributed to the antioxidant action of estrogens as inducers of biosynthesis of antioxidant proteins.

While pregnancy is a state of physiological oxidative stress, intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), the main cause of premature delivery and fetal mortality, has been suggested to intensify the oxidative stress. We found elevated values of indices of oxidative stress in the blood serum of pregnant women with IUGR: increased levels of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals, decreased activity of alpha-1-antitrypsin and decreased total antioxidant capacity of the serum, with respect to healthy pregnancy. A 20-day treatment with 3 g of L-arginine and 75 mg of acetylsalicylic acid daily resulted in a decrease of the level of lipid peroxidation products and augmentation of alpha-1-antitrypsin activity.

Conclusions: 

Our results give further evidence for the usefulness of urinary hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances as potential biomarkers of oxidative stress and for the antioxidant action of estrogens and conform to the intensification of oxidative stress in IUGR.