Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: Preeclampsia is onset of hypertension and either proteinuria or oedema after 20 weeks of gestation in previously normotensive women. The present study was conducted to evaluate oxidative stress in pregnant women. Materials & Methods: 64 pregnant women were divided into 2 groups of 23 each. Group I comprised of 50 pre- eclampsia pregnant females and group II had healthy pregnant females. Level of MDA, vitamin C and Vitamin E by calorimetric method was measured. Results: The mean BMI was 32.6 kg/m2 in group I and 28.4 kg/m2 in group II, parity in group I was 2.3 and in group II was 2.8. The mean gestational age in group I was 32.6 weeks and in group II was 33.2 weeks. The mean vitamin C level in group I was 0.34 mg/dl and in group II was 2.60 mg/dl. The mean vitamin E level in group I was 0.32 mg/dl and in group II was 0.92 mg/dl. The mean MDA level in group I was 12.3 nmol/ml and in group II was 4.7 nmol/ml. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: There was higher level of MDA and decreased vitamin C and E level in pre- eclampsia patients. Key words: Pre- eclampsia, MDA, Pregnancy.