Umbilical glutathione levels are higher after vaginal birth than after cesarean section.

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Title:	Umbilical glutathione levels are higher after vaginal birth than after cesarean section.
Author(s):	Raijmakers, M.; Roes, E.M. ; Steegers, E.A.P. ; Wildt, B. van der ; Peters, W.H.M.
Publication year:	2003
Source:	Journal of Perinatal Medicine, vol. 31, iss. 6, (2003), pp. 520-522
ISSN:	0300-5577
DOI:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/JPM.2003.079
Publication type:	Article / Letter to editor
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item : https://hdl.handle.net/2066/179453
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Subject:	EBP 2: Effective Hospital Care UMCN 5.1: Genetic defects of metabolism UMCN 5.2: Endocrinology and reproduction
Organization:	Gastroenterology Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Journal title:	Journal of Perinatal Medicine
Volume:	vol. 31
Issue:	iss. 6
Page start:	p. 520
Page end:	p. 522
Abstract:	Glutathione plays an important role in quenching reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidation of glutathione, which in times of prolonged oxidative stress may be excreted from the erythrocyte. We investigated arterial and venous umbilical cord levels of glutathione in neonates born by vaginal delivery (n = 140) or cesarean section (n = 38). In a subset of neonates who were delivered vaginally maternal levels were assessed in parallel (n = 14). Median (5th-95th percentile) glutathione levels in venous and arterial umbilical samples were higher after vaginal delivery as compared to cesarean section, 2.7 (0.9-7.3) versus 2.0 (0.6-11.5; P < 0.03) and 3.5 (0.6-22.7) versus 2.3 (0.7-24.3) micromol/L (P < 0.02), respectively. Maternal glutathione levels were higher, 7.8 (4.3-10.6) micromol/L, than corresponding venous (P < 0.001) or arterial (P < 0.02) umbilical levels. These results suggest that vaginal delivery is associated with more oxidative stress than delivery by cesarean section.