Evaluation of oxidative stress markers after vaginal delivery or Caesarean section.
BACKGROUND
The effects of vaginal delivery (VD) and of cesarean section (CS) on the markers of oxidative stress were investigated.


METHODS
Umbilical blood samples were analyzed from 74 full-term neonates, 46 born via VD, 28 via elective CS. The level of lipid peroxidation (LP), protein and DNA damage and the antioxidant status were compared.


RESULTS
Differences between CS and VD groups were generally non-significant for oxidative markers, except for the GSH concentrations (VD: 4.18 vs. CS: 2.77 microM/mg protein x 10(-3); p<0.05). LP was significantly higher in the CS group (0.078 vs. 0.042 nM MDA/mg protein; p <0.05). The level of carbonyl proteins was high in the VD group and significantly lower in the elective CS group (9.5 vs. 8.1 mM/mg protein x 10(-4); p<0.05). We found 0.78% more strand breaks in elective CS group than in VD group.


CONCLUSIONS
CS does not have an advantage over VD with respect to oxidative stress.
Hracsko
Zsuzsanna
Z
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Szeged, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary. hracsko@bio.u-szeged.hu
Safar
Zsolt
Z
Orvos
Hajnalka
H
Novak
Zoltan
Z
Pal
Attila
A
Varga
Ilona S
IS
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004249:DNA Damage; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy
D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins