BACKGROUND: We investigated treatment-related changes in oxidative stressindices in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) during pregnancy. Four parameters of cell membranedestruction were measured: malondialdehyde, Schiff bases, lipid peroxides, and conjugated dienes. MATERIAL/METHODS:The study population included pregnant women under treatment in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologyat the Medical University of Łódź in 1997-1999, divided into two groups: (I) - 30 healthy pregnantwomen, (II) - 31 pregnant women with a clinical and ultrasound diagnosis of IUGR. The course of treatmentconsisted of ten days of intravenous injections of cocarboxylase, Vitamin C, and solcoseryl as antioxidantfactors. The parameters of oxidative stress were measured on the first day of hospitalization, afterfive days of treatment, and on the 10th day of treatment. RESULTS: The mean value of MDA concentrationin Group I was 2.03, vs. 2.39 in Group II. The mean value of conjugated dienes was 2.40 in Group I and2.41 in Group II. The Schiff bases concentration in Group I was 8.03, as opposed to 8.83 in Group II.The concentration of lipid peroxides was 0.113 in Group I and 0.134 in Group II. We found that all theparameters of oxidative stress were higher in IUGR than in normal pregnancy. At the end of treatmenta decrease was observed in all oxidative stress parameters. CONCLUSIONS: IUGR is correlated with an increasein membrane damage parameters. Therapy for IUGR decreased the values of all indices of oxidative stress.

Keywords: Actihaemyl, Ascorbic Acid, Fetal Growth Retardation, Lipid Peroxidation, Pregnancy, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov, Thiamine Pyrophosphate