Abstract
Pre-eclampsia is a complex disorder of pregnancy that adversely affects the mother and baby. Arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are essential for fetal development and can undergo free radical oxidation to F2- isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs) and isofurans (IsoFs); and F4-neuroprostanes (F4-NeuroPs), respectively. These metabolites may be relevant to pre-eclampsia and fetal development. We examined IsoFs, F4-NeuroPs, and F2-IsoPs in maternal plasma and cord blood plasma of 23 women with pre-eclampsia and 21 normal pregnancies. Women with pre-eclampsia had significantly elevated maternal IsoFs and F4-NeuroPs, but not F2-IsoPs. Cord blood F4- NeuroPs were elevated among neonates of women with pre-eclampsia. In women with pre-eclampsia, birth weight was predicted by gestation at delivery. The latter was also true in normal pregnancy, but birth weight was negatively related to maternal F2-IsoPs, IsoFs, and F4-NeuroPs. We have shown that in women with preeclampsia, IsoFs and F4-NeuroPs are elevated, and cord blood F4-NeuroPs are increased. The inverse relationship between maternal F2-IsoPs, IsoFs, and F4-NeuroPs and birth weight may be relevant as predictors of low birth weight in normal pregnancy. Future studies should examine whether these markers in maternal blood at early stages of pregnancy relate to subsequent maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications.