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ABSTRACT
Pregnancy induces significant physiological changes to accommodate the developing fetus, including alterations in maternal oxidative stress and hematological profiles. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), a crucial antioxidant enzyme, plays a vital role in mitigating oxidative stress, which can impact both maternal and fetal health. The Full Blood Count provides comprehensive data on the blood's cellular components, crucial for monitoring maternal health and detecting potential complications. This study assesses the activity of SOD using spectrophotometric method across different trimesters, as well as blood concentration of FBC parameters, including red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin levels, hematocrit, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count, using automated hematology analyzer. A cohort of 30 healthy pregnant females at their different trimesters were involved in this study. Results obtained indicate a progressive increase in SOD levels in pregnancy, suggesting an adaptive response to heightened oxidative stress. However, this increase was not statistically significant which may be due to several physiological and external factors. Concurrently, the FBC parameters demonstrated notable trends as hemoglobin and hematocrit levels showed a physiological decline, consistent with the dilutional effect of plasma volume expansion.
