Is maternal dietary selenium intake related to antioxidant status and the occurrence of pregnancy complications?

Selenium (Se) is a trace element essential for the appropriate course of vital processes in the human body. It is also a constituent of the active center of glutathione peroxidase and other antioxidant compounds which play an important role in red-ox processes. Associations between lower blood selenium concentration and obstetric complications has been reported in many studies. The aim of this study was to determine the dietary selenium intake and serum selenium content in pregnant Polish women and relate this to antioxidant status as whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, serum uric acid (UA) content and serum total antioxidant status (TAS) and pregnancy complications occurrence. Ninety-four pregnant women at a mean age 30.6 ± 5.4 years from the Lower Silesia region of Poland were recruited to the study, 37% of studied group had pregnancy complications. The mean reported Se intake and serum selenium content for Polish pregnant women was in the first trimester – 53.99 μg/day and 44.36 μg/l, the second trimester – 58.93 μg/day and 43.16 μg/l and the third trimester – 62.89 μg/day and 40.97 μg/l, respectively. Selenium intake below or above recommended value hadn’t significant effect on GPX activity, TAS and UA levels. There were no statistical differences in selenium intake, serum selenium content, GPX activity and TAS and UA level between physiological and complicated pregnancy, but a positive correlation between Se intake and serum selenium content was observed during all period of gestation as well as in the second trimester of pregnancy between Se intake and GPX activity in group with physiological pregnancy where selenium intake was below the recommended level. Selenium intake above the recommended level was positively correlated also with serum UA level in first and second trimester of pregnancy. Despite weak, positive correlations in the first two trimesters of pregnancy between selenium supply and GPX activity and UA concentration we concluded that selenium intake does not significantly affect during pregnancy, both: markers of the antioxidant status of pregnant women and the occurrence of pregnancy complications.