Lipid peroxidation in cord blood at birth: the effect of labour.

Abstract

To determine the effect of labour on free oxygen radical activity in the fetus, as reflected by lipid peroxide levels in umbilical cord arterial blood. Prospective, observational study. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Umbilical cord arterial and venous blood samples were collected from singleton term infants delivered by elective caesarean section. Base excess, PO2, pCO2 and pH were measured in both samples and compared to identify double venous samples. Cord arterial acid-base balance and concentrations of organic hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde were compared with those obtained from normal vaginal deliveries. Cord arterial blood samples, obtained from cases of uncomplicated labour followed by spontaneous vaginal delivery, had significantly higher lipid peroxide concentrations than those delivered following elective caesarean section. This was most marked for malondialdehyde with a median value increased by 105%, whilst organic hydroperoxide was increased by only 27%. Of the acid-base parameters, base excess was increased by 78%, with only minimal changes in pH, pCO2 and PO2. These differences remained highly significant after including other pregnancy characteristics in multivariate analysis. The findings indicate that high levels of free oxygen radical activity in the fetus are a function of the labour process, as are changes in acid-base balance.