Investigation of Relation between Consumption of Foods which Contains Vitamin C and Leukocyte Ascorbic Acid Concentration with Preeclampsia Risk.

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Preeclampsia is a common disorder in pregnancy which threaten maternal and fetus life. Hypertension disorders are the third major cause of maternal mortality. Oxidative stress has an important role in pathophysiology of preeclampsia and the toxicity of free radical oxygen is neutralized at presence of antioxidants such as vitamin C, D and β –carotene. Methods: In this case control study, 103 women with preeclampsia and 100 women with normal pregnancy have been studied during postpartum hospital stay. Food frequency Questionnaire was completed by them and their blood sample was collected in order to determine the concentration of intra leukocyte ascorbic acid. Data have been analyzed by using of statistical test such frequency, valid percent, mean, standard deviation, standard error, student t test, Mann Whitney U, Pearson, X2 and by using of SPSS/Win computer software. Results: The daily mean number of fruits and vegetables consumption, in the control group as higher than the case group. However the difference between two groups was not significant. Only 17.5% of cases and 16% of controls consumed less than the recommended five serving of fruits and vegetables daily. The daily mean consumption of ascorbic acid in the case group was significantly lower than the control group (p=0.04). 18.4% of cases and 13% of controls consumed vitamin C less than the daily recommended value of 85 mg. the mean of level leukocyte ascorbic acid in the control groups was lower than case groups. But the difference was not significant between two groups. In spite of weak correlation between leukocyte ascorbic acid level and vitamin C consumption on all the study subjects and in the case group, significant positive correlation was observed in the control group (p=0.02, r=0.2). Discussion: The increase mean of intra leukocyte ascorbic acid in case group can be due to the response to the oxidative stress of preeclampsia or can be caused by halting of ascorbic acid transfer from maternal blood to fetus or both of them. The weak correlation between intra leukocyte ascorbic density and the consumption of vitamin C may be produces by reasons which have been mentioned at above or can be due to from in corrected food production which contains. According to this results, the consumption of food which contain vitamin C, can prevent or control severity of preeclampsia in pregnancy period.