ISSN:
1471-0528
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Objective To determine the effect of labour on free oxygen radical activity in the fetus, as reflected by lipid peroxide levels in umbilical cord arterial blood.Design Prospective, observational study.Setting Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.Methods Umbilical cord arterial and venous blood samples were collected from singleton term infants delivered by elective caesarean section. Base excess, PO2, pCO2, and pH were measured in both samples and compared to identify double venous samples. Cord arterial acid-base balance and concentrations of organic hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde were compared with those obtained from normal vaginal deliveries.Results Cord arterial blood samples, obtained from cases of uncomplicated labour followed by spontaneous vaginal delivery, had significantly higher lipid peroxide concentrations than those delivered following elective caesarean section. This was most marked for malondialdehyde with a median value increased by 105%, whilst organic hydroperoxide was increased by only 27%. Of the acid-base parameters, base excess was increased by 78%, with only minimal changes in pH, PCO2, and PO2. These differences remained highly significant after including other pregnancy characteristics in multivariate analysis.Conclusion The findings indicate that high levels of free oxygen radical activity in the fetus are a function of the labour process, as are changes in acid-base balance.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1998.tb10204.x
Permalink