High-fat diet in pregnant women may induce preeclampsia through lipid peroxidation pathways

Oxidative stress and a high-fat diet have been associated with the preeclampsia pathogenesis. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a biomarker of oxidative stress produced as a byproduct of polyunsaturated fatty acid peroxidation in cells. This review aimed to investigate the association between a high-fat diet and preeclampsia, as measured by MDA levels, which are the product of lipid peroxidation. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. Inclusion criteria were articles published in the last ten years discussing the association between a high-fat diet or MDA and preeclampsia. All studies revealed that high fat intake during pregnancy and the MDA level was higher in pregnant women with preeclampsia compared to pregnant women without preeclampsia. The levels of umbilical MDA were similar to maternal serum MDA. High MDA level was associated with a high-fat diet and obesity during pregnancy. Excessive oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, with high MDA marks, may cause endothelial cell inflammation, injury, and endothelial dysfunction, which is the root of preeclampsia. This endothelial dysfunction will further increase the production of free radicals and lipid peroxidation, elevating the MDA level in a vicious cycle. Lipid peroxidation in pregnant women with a high-fat diet, as measured by MDA levels, may induce preeclampsia. The previous literature mainly consisted of case-control studies. Therefore, the role of lipid peroxidation in preeclampsia needs to be investigated further in more significant cohorts or randomised controlled trials.