BACKGROUND Multipara is basically understood to be a parity of two or higher and has stable relationship with obstetric complaints. It could be seen as a reason for unhealthy maternal and neonatal outcome. Aims and Objectives-1. to compare the levels of ghrelin hormone in multiparity with nulliparity and primi parity, 2. to assess the levels of ghrelin hormone in multiparity according to parity, age, gestational age, body mass index, number of miscarriages and type of delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS This case control study of four hundred women aged 20-48 years from two hospitals in Khartoum state. Women were grouped into three groups comprising multiparity, primiparity and nulliparity. Questionnaires were given to the women and their blood samples were collected via vein puncture in early morning (8:00-11:00 am); after centrifugation of blood sample, these were analysed for ghrelin levels by using fully-automated ELISA. The sample size was taken for convenience. RESULTS Ghrelin levels showed significant changes in multiparity group when compared to nulliparity and also primiparity (p value0.05). In multiparity group, ghrelin levels showed insignificant changes when classified according to age and BMI, (p value>0.05); but showed significant change when classified according to parity, type of delivery and number of miscarriage (p value0.05). CONCLUSION Clinically, multiparity produces a significant variation in ghrelin level in pregnant women.

BACKGROUNDHyperserotonaemia during foetal development results in a dysfunction of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, affecting the amygdala as well as pro-social hormone oxytocin regulation. This study aimed to compare the levels of these hormones in multiparity, with primiparity and nulliparity. MATERIAL AND METHODSThis case control study included three hundred women aged 20-48 years from two hospitals in Khartoum state. Women were grouped into three groups comprising multiparity, primiparity and nulliparity. Questionnaires were administered to the women and their blood samples were collected via vein puncture in early morning (8:00 -11:00 am); after centrifugation of the blood samples, the sera were analysed for serotonin and oxytocin levels by using fully-automated ELISA. The sample size required was taken for convenience. RESULTSit was found that the serotonin and oxytocin levels showed significant changes in multiparity compared to nulliparity as well as primiparity (p value<0.05). In multiparity, serotonin and oxytocin levels showed significant changes when classified according to age (p value < 0.05). Levels of serotonin as well as oxytocin in multiparous pregnant women increased with age. Never the less, body mass index (BMI) of multiparity women exhibited insignificant changes on both serotonin and oxytocin levels (p value > 0.05). In multiparity, oxytocin levels showed significant changes when classified according to the delivery type (p value <0.05) CONCLUSIONClinically, multiparity is associated with significant variation in serotonin and oxytocin levels in pregnant women.