OBJECTIVE An increase in lipid peroxidation intensification in preeclamptic placentas leads to an increased level of lipid peroxidation products and increased reactive oxygen species activity which can be associated with increased activation of chemicals to electrophilic species that bind covalently to DNA and form adducts. METHODS The aim of the study was the determination of DNA adducts (A-DNA) in placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. METHODS The investigations comprised placentas obtained immediately after delivery from 21 normal pregnancies [group K], 24 pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia-PE without intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR [group PE] and 21 pregnancies complicated by severe PE and IUGR [group PEI]. DNA adducts were determined using nuclease P1 digestion enhancement version of the 32P-postlabeling method. The results were expressed in numbers of DNA adducts per 10(8) nucleotides. Comparative analysis was performed using ANO-VA and median tests. RESULTS Mean level of A-DNA (MA-DNA) in the group PE--1.39 +/- 1.21 (M +/- SD) was similar (p = 0.57) to MA-DNA in group K (1.16 +/- 1.03). However MA-DNA in the PEI group (1.93 +/- 1.28) was significantly higher (p = 0.045) than MA-DNA in the group K as well as MA-DNA in the group PE (p = 0.025). MA-DNA level in all studied preeclamptic placentas (groups PE + PEI) was 1.65 +/- 1.26 and was similar (p = 0.152) to revealed in group K. CONCLUSIONS The level of DNA adducts in placentas from pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia and IUGR is higher than in placentas from pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia without IUGR and higher than in placentas from normal pregnancies.