Amniotic fluid oxidant–antioxidant status in foetal congenital nervous system anomalies

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the oxidant–antioxidant status of amniotic fluid in pregnant women with foetal congenital malformations of the central nervous system. METHODS: We studied pregnant women with foetal congenital nervous system anomalies at 16–22 weeks’ gestation (n = 36). The control group (n = 30) consisted of pregnant women at the same gestational age who underwent amniocentesis, resulting in a normal karyotype. We analysed glutathione, catalase, and malondialdehyde levels in amniotic fluid. Enzyme activation was measured by spectrophotometry. RESULTS: The demographic features of the groups were similar in terms of age, parity, body mass index, and gestational weeks. We detected lower glutathione and catalase levels in the foetal congenital anomaly group than in the control group. We detected higher malondialdehyde levels in the foetal congenital anomaly group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: In the organism, the rate of formation of free radicals and their rate of removal are balanced, and this is called oxidative balance. As long as oxidative stability is achieved, the organism is not affected by free radicals. This fact should be kept in mind to avoid any type of teratogenic agent that could lead to congenital disorders.