UMBILICAL CORD CORTISOL AND PROLACTIN LEVELS IN PRETERM INFANTS

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Abstract
The influence of labor and route of delivery upon the umbilical cord serum levels of cortisol and prolactin in 99 preterm infants not exposed prenatally to corticosteroids was studied [and the relationship to hyaline membrane disease]. Vaginally born infants (group A) presented a higher mean cord cortisol concentration than those delivered by cesarean section (group B); mean prolactin values, however, were not different between both groups. Although there was no difference in cortisol and prolactin levels between infants delivered by cesarean section after spontaneous onset of labor (group B-I) and those without labor (group B-II), the mean cortisol concentration was significantly higher in group A than in group B-I. The mean prolactin levels did not differ among all the studied groups. There is no association between presence of labor or route of delivery and cord serum levels of prolactin, there is no association between spontaneous preterm labor and cord cortisol values and there is an association between vaginal delivery and high cord cortisol levels in preterm infants. Apparently the increase in serum cortisol levels does not precede the initiation of preterm parturition but it is secondary to the stress caused by vaginal delivery.