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Glutathione for a Healthier Pregnancy

Written By: Priya Shah

All parents-to-be nurture the dream of a healthy pregnancy and baby.

But the modern environment and diet is deficient in many factors essential for the health of mother and fetus. One of those factors is antioxidants.

The role of antioxidants like folic acid in preventing birth defects like spina bifida and cleft palate is well known. It is now included in all prenatal vitamin supplements.

But the role of antioxidants like glutathione and Vitamin E in pregnancy is often overlooked.

Antioxidants and glutathione status play an important role in the development and growth of the fetus, maintenance of a healthy pregnancy - and even before pregnancy, in fertility and conception.

Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant. It helps to regenerate stores of other antioxidants like Vitamin C and E.

It also protects both mother and fetus from the damaging effects of free radicals and oxidative stress.

Many pregnancy complications and birth defects have been linked to oxidative stress, free radical damage and low glutathione levels in the mother and fetus.

The role of glutathione in the development of the foetus and placenta is crucial. Glutathione (GSH) can control cell differentiation, proliferation, and cell death - essential functions in the developing embryo.

In the placenta, glutathione detoxifies pollutants before they reach the developing child. Most substances or factors which cause birth defects (teratogens) are known to exert their embryotoxic effects because they cause oxidative stress.

The human placenta possesses a significant amount of glutathione S-transferase (GST) capable of detoxification or activation of drugs and pharmaceuticals during the critical period of organ development in the fetus.

Some drugs are known to cause birth defects in the growing fetus by generating free radicals, and depleting GSH stores.

In the early embryonic stages, the fetus is sensitive to the toxic and teratogenic effects of chemicals, whereas it is sensitive to carcinogenic effects during late fetal stages.

Carcinogens administered to the mother can be transferred through the placenta and induce cancer in the fetus. Many carcinogens are much more active in the fetus than in adults and they tend to act as abortifacients and teratogens as well.

Environmental and lifestyle factors are known to cause oxidative stress and lower glutathione levels - resulting in birth defects, abortion and miscarriages in pregnancy.

Some of the known teratogens (causing birth defects) in pregnancy include:

• Radiation
  
  
• Pesticides and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
  
  
• Air pollution
  
  
• Heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, arsenic)
  
  
• Vinyl chloride
  
  
• Acryonitrile
  
  
• Excess Oxygen (hyperoxia)
  
  
• Anti-psychotic and anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)
  
  
• Thalidomide
  
  
• Cigarette smoke
  
  
• Alcohol (ethanol) consumption
  
  

• Diabetes
  
  
• Pre-eclampsia
  
  
• Infection and Inflammation
  
  

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