Relationship between 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels in placental/umbilical cord blood and maternal/neonatal obstetric factors.

Oxidative stress is associated with the development of various diseases including cancer, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. However, little is known about the involvement of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) during the perinatal period. At present, few studies have investigated the precise correlations between 8-OHdG levels in cord blood (CB) and the physical conditions of the mother and neonate. To clarify the involvement of 8-OHdG during the perinatal period, the relationships between CB 8-OHdG levels and maternal/neonatal characteristics in vaginal deliveries were determined. The 8-OHdG levels of CB units collected from singleton gestation vaginal deliveries were analyzed. The relationships between 8-OHdG levels and perinatal characteristics were analyzed. The 8-OHdG levels in CB ranged from 0.1 to 1.39 ng/ml (median, 0.37 ng/ml). The relationships between 8-OHdG levels and the perinatal data were analyzed. The 8-OHdG levels detected in the non-smoking group were significantly lower compared to those in the smoking group. However, no significant correlation was observed between 8-OHdG levels and other maternal/ neonatal factors, including umbilical artery acid/base and gas values. Maternal smoking increases the level of the oxidative DNA damage biomarker 8-OHdG in CB. Since oxidative stress may influence the long-term health outcomes of infants after birth, understanding maternal and fetus/neonate stress conditions at delivery may help improve the health of fetuses and infants.