Abstract
Objectives:To explore the correlation between maternal and cord blood prolactin, the correlation between cord prolactin and birth weight, and to compare cord blood prolactin in new-borns of women with normal pregnancy and women with pregnancy complications namely; gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes and preterm labour.Methods:This study was performed from September to December 2018. Thirty-two women, delivered at Baghdad teaching hospital, and their newborns (32) were included. Maternal blood (5 ml) was taken before labour and cord blood (5 ml) was collected after placenta expulsion. Maternal and cord blood prolactin were analysed using fluorescence immunoassay.Results:Cord blood prolactin was higher in babies born to hypertensive women (405.28±77.52 ng/ml) than normal pregnancy women (244.80±60.80 ng/ml), P=0.000. Also, cord prolactin in gestational hypertension group was significantly higher than diabetic (P=0.006) and preterm labour (P=0.000) groups. No significant difference was noticed in cord blood prolactin in newborns of diabetic and normal pregnancy women (299.28±37.01, 244.80±60.80 ng/ml respectively, P=0.053). Preterm babies had lower cord prolactin (204.57±22.90 ng/ml) than normal pregnancy babies (244.80±60.80 ng/ml), however the difference was non-significant, P=0.118. Positive correlation was found between cord and maternal prolactin (P=0.000) and between cord prolactin and birth weight (P=0.018).Conclusion:Cord blood prolactin is high in newborns of hypertensive women, low in preterm neonates. Diabetes has no effect on cord prolactin level.
Highlights
Umbilical cord blood can be considered as a marker for foetal environment in the uterus and it largely reflects fetal hormone levels in late gestation.[1]
Birth weight of all neonates had a mean of 2.96± 0.45 kg, birth weight was significantly different between newborns as it was higher in babies born to women with gestational diabetes than the others (Table-I)
We found that cord prolactin is significantly higher in gestational diabetes group than the preterm labour group, whereas other studies observed a slightly higher cord prolactin level in preterm labour group,[10,11] further research is needed to investigate these contradicting findings
Summary
Umbilical cord blood can be considered as a marker for foetal environment in the uterus and it largely reflects fetal hormone levels in late gestation.[1] It is a non-invasive method for assessing fetal circulation without posing significant risks to the mother and the newborn.[2] Typically cord blood is obtained after delivery and cord blood samples have nearly similar quantities of venous and arterial components.[3]. Prolactin is a polypeptide hormone, formed mainly by lactotrophs cells (in the anterior pituitary gland). In human, it is encoded by prolactin gene located at chromosome six. Apart from its physiological role in reproduction and lactation, it has been involved in regulation of immune system, osmoregulation and angiogenesis.[4]
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