Clinical Investigation

The effect of fetal distress on cortisol and prolactin levels of cord blood

  • Ibahim Polat
  • Kemal Güngördük
  • Zehra Aydin Yilmaz
  • Hamit Zafer Güven
  • Hasan Cemal Ark

Turk J Obstet Gynecol 2007;4(3):163-167

OBJECTIVE: To compare the fetal cord blood cortisol and prolactin levels of the newborns with respect to their route of delivery and presence of fetal distress patterns. MATERIAL-METHOD: 200 cases with 33-42. weeks gestation were grouped into four as elective cesarian, emergent cesarean, normal vaginal delivery, and assisted delivery. Primiparas with the expected fetal weight more than 4000 gr., primiparas with breech presentation, and patients with uterine scars were evaluated in the elective cesarian group. Pregnancies described above and delivered by cesarian section after labor has started were not included. The rest of the cases who did not fit into these properties were followed to deliver vaginally. The cases that showed fetal distress on electronic monitoring along labor underwent cesarian and were included in emergent cesarian group. Prolonged second stage and bradycardia during second stage cases were applied vacuum extraction and were included in the group assisted deliveries. RESULTS: 122 of the cases (61%) delivered vaginally, 48 (24%) with elective cesarian, 20 (10%) with emergent cesarian, 10 (5%) with vacuum extraction. Mean cortisol levels were 101,61 mcg/dl in elective cesarian group, 264,22 mcg/dl in normal spontaneous deliveries, 321,86 mcg/dl in emergent cesarian, and 488 mcg/dl in vacuum extraction(p=0,0001). The mean cortisole and prolactin levels were 436,71+/-348,02 mcg/dl and 438,729+/-169,787ng/ml in the fetal distress group, and 284,83+/-181,2 mcg/dl and 486,410+/-219,016 ng/ml in the normal group respectively (p= 0.208). CONCLUSION: Fetal cortisol secretion increases with fetal distress while fetal prolactin levels remain unchanged.

Keywords: cortisol, fetal distress, prolactin.