Cocaine's effect on plasma oxytocin concentrations in the baboon during late pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
The hypothesis for this investigation was that intravenous cocaine would result in an elevation of maternal plasma oxytocin levels in the baboon during late pregnancy.


METHODS
Five gravid chronically instrumented baboons had timed arterial blood samples obtained before and after an intravenous bolus cocaine infusion at least 5 days after surgery. Plasma oxytocin concentrations were measured by specific radioimmunoassays, and baseline samples were compared with postcocaine samples.


RESULTS
The plasma oxytocin concentrations were significantly elevated at all sampling times after the 1.0 mg/kg cocaine dose (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The increased oxytocin concentration after cocaine use may be responsible for the increased incidence of preterm labor.
Morgan
M A
MA
Divsion of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-4283, USA.
Honnebier
M B
MB
Mecenas
C
C
Nathanielsz
P W
PW
D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood*; D010215:Papio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D010121:Oxytocin; D003042:Cocaine