title: Effect of labor and delivery on neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocyte number and function.
abstract: The ability of the neonate to mount an adequate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) response, either quantitatively or functionally, is impaired. To assess whether neonatal PMN number and function are altered by labor and delivery, three groups of infants were studied: cesarean section without labor (10), cesarean section after labor (10), and vaginal delivery (11). PMN counts were higher in the groups undergoing labor (p less than 0.01) compared with the cesarean section without labor group. Similarly, the labor groups had evidence of complement activation (increased C3a desarg) compared with the cesarean section without labor group. No differences were noted between the groups in measures of PMN motility (chemokinesis or chemotaxis) or PMN degranulation (plasma lysozyme), suggesting that normal labor and delivery does not contribute to the general PMN dysfunction of the neonate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut 06115.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Herson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Eisenfeld
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maderazo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D002585:Cesarean Section; D003167:Complement Activation; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000032:analysis; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009113:Muramidase / Q000097:blood; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: C044541:complement C3a, des-Arg-(77)-; D015926:Complement C3a; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D009113:Muramidase