Effects of mode of delivery on pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in fetal circulation

Abstract

Our statistical analyses suggest that vaginal delivery has an effect on increasing oxidative stress as a result of the stress of labor and that an elective cesarean section does not impair the mother's oxidative stress status. Furthermore, the high BAP values in all the measurements suggest that neonates just after birth have the ability to cope with oxidative stress. Rationale In many studies, the diversity of views on the influence of mode of delivery on the redox status of neonates is likely to be caused by the use of different biomarkers to measure either the oxidative stress, the antioxidant activity, or both. Furthermore, incomplete explanation for sampling cord blood in these studies, either arterial, venous blood or both, complicates matters. To solve the above, this study was designed to assess the effects of mode of delivery on both pro-oxidants, via d-ROMs, and antioxidants, via BAP, in both umbilical arterial and venous blood samples obtained just after birth. There are no existing studies of BAP in both umbilical arterial and venous blood to which we can refer. In conclusion, our study suggests that the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in neonates just after birth is better than may be expected when compared to the potentials of adults (including pregnant mothers) according to interpretations of BAP/d-ROMs. This can be understood that neonates may have already been endowed with the ability to cope with oxidative stress, as informed by high BAP values in both umbilical arterial and venous blood. Vaginal delivery may have an effect on increasing oxidative stress as a result of the stress of labors (as measured by d-ROMs), and an elective cesarean section, which has better BAP/d-ROMs in umbilical venous blood than that of vaginal delivery, may not impair the mother's oxidative stress status.

Maternal and Neonatal Evaluation of Derived Reactive Oxygen Metabolites and Biological Antioxidant Potential in Donkey Mares and Foals

“…The role and the production pathways of antioxidative activity in newborns have still not been clarified. Some studies performed on humans support the existence of antioxidant activity in fetal circulation [48,49], suggesting that neonates just after birth have already been endowed with the ability to cope with OS [50]. Another hypothesis could be that these findings are related to the transport, although limited, of antioxidants from the mother to their foals through the placenta [51].…”