title: The relation between delivery type and tau protein levels in cord blood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The perinatal morbidity risk is higher in operative deliveries than normal vaginal deliveries. 'Tau protein' is a cytoskeletal component that is predominantly expressed in axons of neurons. The aim of this study was to investigate whether delivery type, particularly the forceps application, had any effect on cord blood tau levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety babies born in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine of Ankara Etlik Maternity and Women's Health Teaching Hospital, Ankara, Turkey were involved in the study. The babies were divided into three groups according to delivery type: Group 1: normal vaginal delivery (NVD); Group 2: caesarean section; Group 3: forceps application. Cord blood samples were drawn from umbilical veins of the babies soon after the birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cord blood tau protein levels in the caesarean section group (79 pg/mL [45-223]) were found to be significantly lower than those of NVD (135 pg/mL [44-627]) and forceps (175 pg/mL [17-418]) groups (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that forceps applications uncomplicated with perinatal asphyxia did not affect the cord blood tau protein level significantly. Tau levels in caesarean section group were significantly lower than the other two groups. Caesarean section in this manner might be considered especially in conditions of risk of perinatal asphyxia to avoid hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. drturantunc@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tunc
authors.forename: Abdulbaki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaoglu
authors.forename: Tuncer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cayci
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirkaya
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kul
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karadeniz
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gungor
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alpay
mesh_terms: D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009772:Obstetrical Forceps; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D014421:Turkey; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016875:tau Proteins