title: Relationship between oxidative stress in cord blood and route of delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of route of delivery on the antioxidant system of newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the cord blood taken during labor of 56 vaginal deliveries and 50 elective cesarean sections. The specimens were analyzed for the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity and leukocyte count.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SOD and CAT activities were significantly higher in the elective cesarean group than the vaginal delivery group (p < 0.01 and p < 0.005, respectively), but G6PD activity was similar between the groups. Plasma MDA level was lower in the cesarean group compared to the vaginal delivery group (p < 0.001). Leukocyte count was higher in the vaginal delivery group (p < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the route of delivery has an effect on oxidative stress in newborns exposed to oxidative stress during delivery. It can be suggested that the antioxidant system works more efficiently to overcome oxidative stress in newborns delivered via cesarean section.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. fatmainanc@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inanc
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kilinc
authors.forename: Gurkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kiran
authors.forename: Alanur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.forename: Ergul Belge
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kurutas
authors.forename: I Gurkan
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Cikim
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akyol
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase