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FETAL PLASMA STEROIDS IN RELATION TO PARTURITION
Author(s) -
Smith Ian D.,
Shearman Rodney P.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1974.tb00358.x
Subject(s) - medicine , caesarean section , gestation , fetus , gestational age , hysterotomy , venous blood , obstetrics , pregnancy , corticosteroid , arterial blood , anesthesia , endocrinology , genetics , biology
Summary Total plasma corticosteroid levels were measured by competitive protein binding assay in matched umbilical arterial and venous samples obtained immediately following delivery of 78 infants by Caesarean section. At 38 to 40 weeks gestation, the mean umbilical arterial levels (±S.E.) were 94.9 ± 10.0 ng./ml. following elective Caesarean section and 142.2 ± 23.7 ng./ml. following emergency Caesarean section in labour. The corresponding mean venous levels were 132.3 ± 10.0 ng./ml. and 172.9± 19.1 ng./ml. Within the emergency Caesarean section group, corticosteroid levels were related to the stage of labour. In fetuses obtained by hysterotomy, the mean heart blood level of plasma corticosteroids was 16.3±3.6 ng./ml. at 12 to 16 weeks gestational age. Within the elective Caesarean group, corticosteroid levels increased with gestational age, reaching a peak at 35 to 37 weeks gestation.