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Blood cortisol variations during late pregnancy and labor

1974; Elsevier BV; Volume: 119; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0002-9378(74)90090-8

1097-6868

Anne Jolivet, H. Blanchier, J.P. Gautray,

Birth, Development, and Health

Blood cortisol levels were studied during normal human pregnancy. Blood samples were obtained from patients during the last weeks, during labor, at the time of delivery, and from the umbilical cord. Plasma cortisol was estimated by a competitive protein-binding assay. The mean value observed prepartum was 35.9 ± 1.27 μg per 100 ml.; a sharp increase was observed during labor with a maximum at birth of 64.7 ± 21 μg per 100 ml. and a rapid decrease in the six hours following birth; the mean value obtained in mixed cord blood was 10.7 ± 3 μg per 100 ml. The increase of cortisol during labor was compared with cesarean sections and surgical procedures in nonpregnant patients. A possible relationhas been found with fetal distress and rupture of the membranes. Dexamethasone infusion to mothers during labor had no effect on maternal plasma cortisol.