The relationship between beta-endorphin levels and uterine muscle contractions during labor.
Plasma beta-endorphin (BE) levels (8.6 +/- 0.8 pmol/l) (mean +/- SE) were lower in the third trimester than in non-pregnant controls (14.8 +/- 1.1 pmol/l) (P less than 0.001), increased during labor, to 29.3 +/- 4.4 pmol/l (P less than 0.005) and decreased, 72 h after delivery, to 3.5 +/- 0.4 pmol/l (P less than 0.001). BE levels were found to correlate significantly with uterine muscle contraction (r = 0.966, P less than 0.05) and with cervical effacement (r = 0.974, P less than 0.05) during labor.
Weissberg
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Algur
N
N
Schwartz
G
G
Shemesh
O
O
Eylath
U
U
Abraham
A S
AS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
D001615:beta-Endorphin