LAUSR

Introduction Genetic and environmental risk factors are involved with adverse obstetric outcomes. Maternal folate and homocysteine metabolism, mainly influenced by methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) activity, play a key role in pregnancy risk. Oxidative stress and exposure to cigarette smoke are also well known factors amply associated with obstetric complications. Objective To study the association of cigarette smoke exposure and the influence of MTHFR C677T, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) A16V and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) P197L gene variants in women with obstetric risk of Risaralda, Colombia. Methods The study population was composed of 237 pregnant women, including 152 subjects with obstetric risk and 89 healthy controls. Data of cigarette smoke exposure were extracted from standardized questionnaires. Genotypes were determined by real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. Results There was no between-group difference in genotype distribution of any of the polymorphisms analyzed. We found neither an association of the MTHFR or the oxidative stress-related genotype frequencies with an obstetric risk. Pregnant women with previous cigarette smoke use (OR=2.47, 95% CI, 1.16-5.24) or exposure to second hand smoke (OR=2.14, 95% CI 1.15-3.99) were significantly associated to gynecological risk. Conclusions Our preliminary results did not show a direct genetic association of the MTHFR or H2O2-related gene variants with an obstetrical risk in the Colombian population under study. Former active and passive cigarette smoke exposure remained as a considerable health problem to pregnant women. These data highlight the importance to health care providers to reinforce programs to reduce cigarette smoke exposure in pregnancy.