title: Reduction in maternal complement levels during delivery by cesarean section.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary elective cesarean sections are being carried out in considerable numbers in both developed and developing countries; however, little information is available concerning differences in maternal physiological responses associated with the mode of delivery. The aim of the present study was to compare the changes in the maternal complement and contact systems between delivery by cesarean section and vaginal delivery at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal levels of complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4) and coagulation factor XII (FXII) were measured during primary elective cesarean (n=70) and vaginal (n=140) deliveries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The C3, C4 and FXII levels decreased significantly during delivery by cesarean section and remained low for two hours. By contrast, C3 levels, but not C4 levels, increased temporally during normal term delivery and FXII levels decreased two hours later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changes in maternal C3, C4 and FXII levels during cesarean section were very different from those during delivery at term, suggesting that the maternal complement and contact systems respond differently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kakegawa Municipal General Hospital, Kakegawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Kotomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagahashi
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izima
authors.forename: Chizuko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yaguchi
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Kazunao
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005174:Factor XII / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047929:Term Birth / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D005174:Factor XII