title: Dissociation of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin-like immunoactivity levels during pregnancy and parturition.
abstract: The association between central (cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) and peripheral (plasma) levels of beta-endorphin-like immunoactivity (beta-ELI) in nonpregnant women (n = 8) and pregnant women (a) at 16 to 20 weeks of gestation (n = 6), (b) at term (n = 21), and (c) in labor (n = 15) was investigated. Umbilical arterial (n = 11) and venous (n = 11) samples were also obtained. In agreement with previous investigations, it was found that plasma levels of beta-ELI increased during labor (mean +/- SEM: nonpregnant women, 63.5 +/- 18.2; pregnant women at term, 64.0 +/- 12.2; women in labor, 110.8 +/- 30.3 pg/ml), and that levels of umbilical arterial plasma of beta-ELI exceeded those in umbilical venous plasma (132.5 +/- 34.0 versus 68.2 +/- 22.2). However, CSF levels of beta ELI did not change over the course of pregnancy or during labor (nonpregnant women, 36.5 +/- 15.8; pregnant women at 16 to 20 weeks of gestation, 60.1 +/- 10.3; pregnant women at term, 57.5 +/- 8.4; women in labor 48.5 +/- 8.3 pg/ml). This evidence that plasma and CSF levels of beta-ELI are dissociated during labor calls into question inferences regarding behavioral changes during parturition based on plasma beta-ELI measurements.
mesh_terms: D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D011247:Pregnancy; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D008083:beta-Lipotropin