title: Maternal and neonatal copeptin levels at cesarean section and vaginal delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to measure the copeptin levels in maternal serum and umbilical cord serum at cesarean section and vaginal delivery in normotensive pregnancy and pre-eclamptic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study at Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt. Ninety cases were included. They were divided into six groups: (1) normal pregnancy near term, as a control group, (2) primiparas who had vaginal delivery, (3) primiparas who had vaginal delivery and mild preeclampsia, (4) elective repeat cesarean section, (5) intrapartum cesarean section for indications other than fetal distress, and (6) intrapartum cesarean section for fetal distress. Serum copeptin concentrations were quantified with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mean, standard deviation, and paired t-test were used to test for significant change in quantitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vaginal delivery groups had higher levels of maternal serum copeptin than the elective cesarean section group (P<0.01). Higher maternal serum copeptin levels were found in cases with pre-eclampsia as compared with the normotensive cases. The maternal copeptin levels during intrapartum cesarean section were higher than that during elective repeat cesarean section. There was a significant correlation between maternal copeptin levels and the duration of the first stage. In the presence of fetal distress, umbilical cord serum copeptin levels were significantly higher than other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal delivery can be very painful and stressful, and is accompanied by a marked increase of maternal serum copeptin. Increased maternal levels of serum copeptin were found in cases with pre-eclampsia as compared with the normotensive cases, and it may be helpful in assessing the disease. Intrauterine fetal distress is a strong stimulus to the release of copeptin into the fetal circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. drashraf.foda@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Foda
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Abdel Aal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000097:blood*; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006020:Glycopeptides; C048197:copeptins