Oxidative stress and DNA damage in newborns born to mothers with hyperglycemia – a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background: Hyperglycemic mothers have increased oxidative stress during pregnancy, which can adversely affect the outcome in their neonates. Objectives: To measure the oxidative stress and DNA damage in newborns born to mothers with hyperglycemia and correlate their immediate outcome with the amount of oxidative stress and DNA damage. Methods: This prospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital, South India included three groups – newborns born to pregestational diabetic mothers, gestational diabetic mothers, and euglycemic mothers with 24 newborns in each. Oxidative stress parameters – malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and DNA damage (comet assay) were assessed in umbilical cord blood. Association between these parameters and immediate neonatal outcome among three groups were studied. Results: Newborns born to diabetic mothers had more MDA levels and DNA damage compared to euglycemic mothers. There was a positive correlation between comet parameters and MDA levels. There was an inverse correlation between comet parameters and TAC. Newborns born to diabetic mothers were at high risk to develop respiratory distress syndrome, hypoglycemia, and sepsis. Conclusions: Newborns born to diabetic mothers had increased oxidative stress and DNA damage compared to those born to mothers with euglycemia.