title: Maternal plasma noradrenaline levels at 29 weeks and gestational age at birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between maternal plasma noradrenaline levels at a mean gestational age of 29 weeks and gestational age and weight at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Original research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four pregnant women with a mean gestational age of 29 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychological anxiety levels (Spielberger State and Trait questionnaire) and plasma stress hormone levels (noradrenaline and adrenaline) were measured in pregnant women at a mean gestational age of 29 weeks. Statistical analysis was applied to investigate links between these variables and gestational age and weight at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-rating anxiety, State and Trait Spielberger questionnaire, maternal noradrenaline and adrenaline levels, gestational age and weight at birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant inverse relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and the infant gestational age at birth (r = 0.09, p = 0.05). There was no relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and weight at birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a significant inverse relationship between maternal noradrenaline levels and gestational age at birth, suggesting the possibility of underlying mechanisms linking maternal noradrenaline and timing of delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University Nova of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. jeronima.teixeira@fcm.unl.pt
authors.forename: Jerónima Maria Alves
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Cunha Branco
authors.forename: Muniem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alfituri
authors.forename: Syed M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mohinuddin
authors.forename: Oonagh
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prendiville
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D009638:Norepinephrine