Oxidative Stress and Pregnancy Outcomes

Oxidative stress arises when the generation of reactive oxygen species exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defences, leading to molecular damage and disruption of cellular function. In pregnancy, a finely tuned balance of oxidant and antioxidant activity underpins key processes from oocyte maturation and implantation through to placental development and foetal growth. Excessive oxidative stress at the maternal–foetal interface contributes to a spectrum of adverse outcomes, including infertility, miscarriage, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and preterm birth. Within the placenta, oxidative imbalance can perturb trophoblast invasion, impair angiogenesis and trigger inflammatory cascades that compromise nutrient and oxygen delivery. Moreover, systemic oxidative stress in the mother aggravates endothelial dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation, heightening the risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders. Understanding these pathways has fostered interest in targeted antioxidant strategies, lifestyle interventions and nutritional supplements aimed at restoring redox homeostasis and improving maternal and neonatal health on a global scale.

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Oxidative Stress and Pregnancy Outcomes publication trend

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

Technical terms

Oxidative stress: Imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defences, resulting in cellular and molecular damage.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules derived from oxygen, including free radicals such as superoxide and non-radical species such as hydrogen peroxide.

Placenta: The temporary organ of pregnancy that mediates nutrient, gas and waste exchange between maternal and foetal circulations and produces hormones essential for gestation.

Preeclampsia: A hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterised by high blood pressure and organ dysfunction, often linked to placental oxidative imbalance.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR): A condition in which a foetus fails to achieve its genetically predetermined growth potential, frequently associated with placental insufficiency and oxidative stress.

References

1. The Silent Threat to Women’s Fertility: Uncovering the Devastating Effects of Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (2023).
2. Dietary supplementation with pterostilbene activates the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway to alleviate progressive oxidative stress and promote placental nutrient transport. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology (2024).
3. Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Need to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Evidence for a Key Role of Oxidative Stress in Neonatal and Long-Term Sequelae. Cells (2024).