title: Maternal and fetal oxidative stress and intrapartum term fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association between maternal chorioamnionitis and fetal oxidative stress has not been well established.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nested case control study was performed within a prospective cohort of term nulliparous women: 20 cases (intrapartum fever of >100.4 degrees F) and 20 afebrile controls. Oxidative stress was assessed using ThioGlo-1 (TG-1; Calbiochem, San Diego, CA) fluorescent sulfhydryl detection. Median levels (+/- interquartile range) of protein-thiol sulfhydryls were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In early labor, maternal oxidative stress (lower protein sulfhydryls) was significantly higher in those women who subsequently had intrapartum fever develop (79.87 +/- 22.88 vs 127.73 +/- 43.79 counts/second per microg protein; P < .001). In contrast, cord serum sulfhydryls were not different between groups (75.77 +/- 14.00 vs 75.04 +/- 17.83 counts/second per microg protein; P = .99)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the term human fetus is protected from maternal oxidative stress associated with intrapartum fever. However, maternal oxidative status in early labor is associated with subsequent intrapartum fever. Optimal fetal neuroprotection will require a more precise knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goetzl
authors.forename: Yefim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manevich
authors.forename: Chantel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roedner
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Praktish
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hebbar
authors.forename: Danyelle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D007747:Labor Stage, First / Q000378:metabolism; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000378:metabolism; D018805:Sepsis / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult