Effect of different modes of delivery on cord blood oxidative stress markers.
BACKGROUND
Normal pregnancy has been associated with oxidative stress injury. Oxidative stress has been linked with poor perinatal outcome and birth asphyxia. The severity of this oxidative stress in newborn may be related to stress of different modes of delivery.


METHODS
Eighty seven newborn babies were recruited in both labour ward and operating theatre of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. Fourty one of them was delivered via spontaneous vertex delivery, 26 via emergency caesarean section and the rest, 20 were delivered through elective caesarean section. Cord blood sample was collected from new born babies immediately after delivery. Plasma was extracted and used for the laboratory measurement of total antioxidant status, malondialdehyde and Uric acid.


RESULTS
There were no significant (P>0.05) changes among the studied groups in mean plasma levels of malondialdehyde, total antioxidant status and uric acid. However, a trend was observed in these parameters. Mean plasma total antioxidant status/mmol/l was observed to be highest in subjects delivered through ECS (2.35 ± 0.05) and lowest in subjects delivered through SVD (2.03 ± 0.08). Similarly mean plasma UA/mg/dl was also observed to be highest in subjects delivered through ECS (3.61 ± 0.16) lowest in those delivered through SVD (3.49 ± 0.71). The highest mean plasma level of MDA/µmol/l was found in subjects delivered through SVD (5.78 ± 1.56) while the lowest was found in subjects delivered through ECS (5.01 ± 1.21).


CONCLUSIONS
There is no significant relationship between oxidative stress markers in neonate and the mode of delivery.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria;
Daniel Adebode
DA
Adekanle
Department of Chemical Pathology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria;
Dolapo Pius
DP
Oparinde
Department of Chemical Pathology, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria;
Adeniran Samuel
AS
Atiba
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Akinyemi Akinsoji
AA
Akintayo
cord blood; free radical; modes of delivery; newborn; oxidative stress