title: [Serum endorphins in the perinatal period].
abstract: In 22 pregnant women beta-ELIR and N-terminal-beta-Lipotropin serum levels were determined by radioimmunoassay (New England Nuclear) in the last three weeks of pregnancy, at the beginning and at the end of delivery and during 48 hours after delivery. The difference between the results of the two examinations (beta-ELIR and N-terminal-beta-lipotropin) represents with close approximation the beta-endorphin concentration. In 12 patients the beta-endorphin level during delivery was significantly higher than during late pregnancy; in three cases an extremely high beta-endorphin concentration was found in pregnant women with a dystrophic infant. Therefore, beta-endorphin is discussed as an indicator for foetal distress.
mesh_terms: D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D006020:Glycopeptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C031562:pro-opiomelanocortin amino-terminal glycopeptide; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin
vernacular_title: Serum-Endorphine in der Perinatalperiode.