Oxytocin levels in low-risk primiparas following breast stimulation for spontaneous onset of labor: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Background Breast stimulation is performed to self-induce labor. However, there are apparently no reports on hormonal evaluation during stimulation for consecutive days in relation to induction effect. We evaluated the salivary oxytocin level following 3 consecutive days of own breast stimulation for 1 h each day compared with no breast stimulation. Methods We used a quasi-experimental design. The participants were low-risk primiparas between 38 and 39 gestational weeks. Eight saliva samples per participant were collected at preintervention and 30, 60, and 75 min postintervention on the first and third days. The primary outcome was change in the salivary oxytocin level on the third day after 3 consecutive days of breast stimulation for 1 h each day compared with no breast stimulation. The secondary outcomes were the rate of spontaneous labor onset and negative events including uterine hyperstimulation and abnormal fetal heart rate. Results Between February and September 2016, 42 women were enrolled into the intervention group (n = 22) or control group (n = 20). As there were differences in the basal oxytocin levels between the 2 groups, to estimate the change in the oxytocin level from baseline, we used a linear mixed model with a first-order autoregressive (AR1) covariance structure. The dependent variable was change in the oxytocin level from baseline. The independent variables were gestational weeks on the first day of intervention, age, education, rs53576 and rs2254298, group, time point, and interaction of group and time. After Bonferroni correction, the estimated change in the mean oxytocin level at 30 min on the third day was significantly higher in the intervention group (M = 20.2 pg/mL, SE = 26.2) than in the control group (M = − 44.4 pg/mL, SE = 27.3; p = 0.018). There was no significant difference in the rate of spontaneous labor onset. Although there were no adverse events during delivery, uterine tachysystole occurred in 1 case during the intervention. Conclusions The estimated change in the mean oxytocin level was significantly higher 30 min after breast stimulation on the third day. Thus, consecutive breast stimulation increased the salivary oxytocin level. Repeated stimulations likely increase the oxytocin level. Trial registration UMIN000020797 (University Hospital Medical Information Network; Prospective trial registered: January 29, 2016).

Changes in the cortisol and oxytocin levels of first-time pregnant women during interaction with an infant: a randomized controlled trial

“…When the proportion of the precipitate was large, the required amount of supernatant could not be obtained, making oxytocin measurement impossible. Oxytocin concentration varies greatly among individuals [ 11 , 18 ]. Therefore, it is likely that a number of subjects in this study did not yield results.…”

“…The eligibility requirements were low-risk Japanese primiparas who 1) had singleton pregnancy, 2) were planning vaginal birth, 3) were over 20 years of age, and 4) could participate in the study between 38 weeks-0 days and 38 weeks-6 days of pregnancy. Excluded from the study were those who had any of the following conditions: 1) obstetric complication requiring treatment, 2) medical history of endocrine disorders or psychiatric disorders [ 5 ], 3) treatment for oral diseases including caries, 4) smoking habit [ 5 ], 5) nipple massage as self-care for birth induction [ 11 ], and 6) infant care involvement during pregnancy (Table 1 ). The present RCT was conducted in four facilities (i.e., hospital, clinic, birth center, perinatal medical center) in Tokyo, Japan between May 2017 and March 2018.…”

“…Oxytocin is synthesized in the neurons of the supraoptic nucleus in the hypothalamus and the paraventricular nucleus, secreted in pulses from the posterior pituitary into the blood, and found in the saliva and urine [ 10 ]. Oxytocin secretion is induced by nipple stimulation [ 11 ], touch and human-human relationship [ 12 ], and mother-infant interactions [ 13 ]. Furthermore, oxytocin secretion is associated with fetal attachment [ 14 ], child-rearing behavior [ 15 ], and preparation of women for motherhood [ 16 ].…”

The successful application of pyrotinib in the treatment of primary trastuzumab-resistant HER-2-positive breast cancer with bilateral axillary lymph node metastasis: a case report

“…Although contralateral axillary dissection can provide excellent axillary management, CAM is associated with systemic metastasis, and locally advanced and aggressive tumors should be considered along with a good possibility of future distant metastasis to the brain, liver, bone, and lung (5). Even though mastectomy is not recommended due to the small likelihood of contralateral occult breast cancer, systemic therapy should be considered.…”

The Role of Oxytocin and the Effect of Stress During Childbirth: Neurobiological Basics and Implications for Mother and Child

“…( 97 ) that rhythmic, massage-like stimulation of the skin increases the blood plasma oxytocin concentration and reduces the amount of nociception. It is known that stimulation of the breast before parturition also leads to an increase in blood plasma oxytocin levels ( 98 ). However, it remains to be investigated if these measures can have a positive effect on the progress of labor.…”