Oxidative Stress and Micronutrient Status in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a multisystem hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, emerging after 20 weeks’ gestation and characterised by new-onset hypertension and end-organ dysfunction. Central to its pathogenesis is placental insufficiency and an imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species and the capacity of antioxidant defences. Critical antioxidant enzymes rely on micronutrients such as selenium, zinc, copper and manganese to maintain redox homeostasis. When these trace elements are deficient or their enzymatic activities are impaired, exaggerated oxidative stress can damage placental tissue, trigger an antiangiogenic state and precipitate maternal endothelial dysfunction. Global research has highlighted the significance of maternal micronutrient status in modulating disease severity, foetal growth and longer-term cardiovascular risk, underscoring the need for precise nutritional strategies in at-risk populations.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A large hospital-based case–control study in China examined dietary intakes of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese and zinc and found a clear inverse association with preeclampsia risk. Women in the highest intake quartiles of these minerals had substantially lower odds of developing the disorder, with a non-linear, reverse J-shaped dose–response pattern, suggesting optimal intake thresholds for prevention. In a foundational experimental investigation using a mouse model of moderate zinc deficiency, maternal under-supply of zinc disrupted labyrinthine placental architecture, reduced foetal and placental weights by approximately 8% and altered maternal blood pressure adaptation in late gestation. Gene expression changes within maternal renal tissue further indicated that zinc status directly influences the cardiovascular adaptations required to maintain placental perfusion in pregnancy.

Oxidative Stress and Micronutrient Status in Preeclampsia publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxidative stress and micronutrient status in preeclampsia across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Oxidative stress: Excess of reactive oxygen species over antioxidant defences leading to cellular damage.

Preeclampsia: Pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder arising after 20 weeks’ gestation with proteinuria and organ dysfunction.

Micronutrient: Essential dietary vitamins or trace elements required in minute amounts for metabolic and antioxidant functions.

Reactive oxygen species: Chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen that can damage lipids, proteins and DNA.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD): Enzyme that catalyses the dismutation of superoxide radicals into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx): Selenium-dependent enzyme that reduces hydrogen peroxide to water, protecting cells from oxidative damage.

Angiogenic markers: Factors such as placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) that regulate blood vessel formation.

References

1. The Importance of Antioxidant Micronutrients in Pregnancy. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity (2011).
2. The association between dietary mineral intake and the risk of preeclampsia in Chinese pregnant women: a matched case–control study. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Zinc is a critical regulator of placental morphogenesis and maternal hemodynamics during pregnancy in mice. Scientific Reports (2017).
4. Alterations in Antioxidant Micronutrient Concentrations in Placental Tissue, Maternal Blood and Urine and the Fetal Circulation in Pre-eclampsia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
5. A meta-analysis of copper level and risk of preeclampsia: evidence from 12 publications. Bioscience Reports (2016).