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PubMed1989

Equine body temperature and progesterone fluctuations during estrus and near parturition.

Body temperature and serum progesterone concentrations were measured in mares to determine if a change in either could be useful in predicting estrus, ovulation or parturition. There was no significant correlation (P > 0.1) between rectal temperature and the environmental temperature or progesterone concentration. Progesterone concentration did correlate with stage of estrous cycle and the stage of pregnancy. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in temperature were noted at different times throughout the day. No change in temperature occurred that could be utilized to predict estrus, ovulation or parturition. The changes in serum progesterone concentration were only useful in detecting estrus.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

Indomethacin influences arginine vasotocin-induced parturition and oviposition in lizards (Sceloporus jarrovi and Sceloporus undulatus ).

The effect of the prostaglandin blocker indomethacin on arginine vasotocin-induced birth was examined. Gravid female, oviparous (Sceloporus undulatus ) and viviparous (Sceloporus jarrovi ) lizards were pretreated with saline or indomethacin, a potent blocker of PG synthesis. Pretreatment was followed by an intraperitoneal injection of AVT. Pretreatment with indomethacin significantly delayed the onset of AVT-induced oviposition in S. undulatus , whereas it had no effect on latency to birth in S. jarrovi . Female S. jarrovi treated with indomethacin, however, gave birth to only part of the total litter, whereas control females gave birth to complete litters. In viviparous females, an interaction of embryonic age with pretreatment was evident; females having more developed embryos decreased birth latency significantly and increased the percentage of parturition when compared with females that had embryos at earlier stages of development. Our data suggest that although exogenous AVT can stimulate oviposition or parturition, these events occur more rapidly and completely when prostaglandin synthesis is not inhibited.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Reduced incidence of retained placenta with induction of parturition in the cow.

Two experiments were designed to determine whether pretreatment with Opticortenol (OPT), a long-acting corticosteroid, prior to induction of parturition with 25 mg of dexamethasone (DEX) alone or in combination with 500 mug cloprostenol (CLO) would result in a reduced incidence of retained placenta. In Experiment 1, 70% of the cows pretreated with 25 mg OPT on Day 270 of gestation calved before or within 24 hours of the scheduled induction treatment on Day 277. Cows induced to calve with DEX plus CLO without OPT pretreatment had an increased rate of placental retention (P<0.05), whereas, cows that received OPT were not different from the controls. In Experiment 2, cows received either 1 mg/25 kg OPT (high dosage) or 1 mg/50 kg OPT (low dosage) on Day 270 of gestation and were induced with DEX plus CLO on either Day 274 (4 days) or Day 276 (6 days). Cows claved 29.0 to 31.8 hours after induction treatment with 95% beginning to calve between 0700 and 1900 hours. The interval from calving to placental release and the incidence of retained placenta was not different between the high dosage 6-day group (29.4+/-8.2 hours, 29%) and the non-induced control cows (16.1+/-10.7 hours, 5%). When three cows in the high dosage 6-day group that retained their placentas for 30 to 36 hours were considered as not retained, the incidence of placental retention for that group was reduced still further to 17%. First service conception rates and pregnancy rates were lower in cows with retained placentas. Differences were significant (P<0.01) in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. It was concluded that pretreatment with 1 mg/25 kg OPT 6 days prior to induction of parturition with DEX plus CLO in combination results in a predictable calving time, high calf viability, and a low incidence of placental retention.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Brain somatostatinergic system at late pregnancy, parturition and the early postpartum period in the rat.

During pregnancy and postpartum rats experience a wide variety of behavioural changes. Since the somatostatinergic system has been implicated in the control of some of these changes, the present study examined somatostatin (SS) content and specific binding in the frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus of non-pregnant, pregnant (17 to 18 days), parturition and postpartum (10 and 30 days) rats as well as in ovariectomized rats which were or were not treated with estradiol valerianate. The content of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SSLI) was increased at 17 days of pregnancy in frontoparietal cortex and decreased at parturition and 10 days postpartum in that region and the hippocampus under study when compared with SSLI levels in non-pregnant rats. At 30 days postpartum the SSLI content returned to non-pregnant values in both brain regions. Scatchard analysis showed that the decrease in [125I]Tyr11-SS binding observed at 17 days of pregnancy in the frontoparietal cortex was due to the decrease in the number of SS receptors. In contrast, on the day of delivery the number of SS receptors in the same brain region increased. The affinity of the SS receptors was consistently unchanged in pregnant and non-pregnant rats in both regions. At 10 days postpartum the value of specific binding of the tracer to SS receptors in the frontoparietal cortex was not significantly different from that in the non-pregnant rats, although the actual number of receptors was slightly higher. Pregnancy did not change SS binding in the hippocampus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Insulin-like growth factor-I, GH, insulin and glucagon concentrations in bovine colostrum and in plasma of dairy cows and neonatal calves around parturition.

1. The IGF-I concentrations in colostrum on days 1 and 2 after parturition were higher than those in cow and neonate plasma. 2. The modest increase in GH concentrations in cow plasma around parturition would not be enough to stimulate IGF-I release by tissues. 3. The concentrations of insulin, GH and glucagon in colostrum were substantially lower than those in plasma.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Parturition in non-human primates: pain and auditory concealment.

Descriptions of parturition are reviewed for 88 individuals in 29 species of captive and wild non-human primates. Mild or severe discomfort, in the form of straining, stretching, arching, grimacing, writhing, shaking, doubling up, eye closure and restlessness is reported in 69 cases. Silence and utterance of moderate-level vocalizations are reported in 21 and 43 cases, respectively. The overall pattern indicates that parturition in non-human primates is characterized by a significant degree of pain and discomfort, while vocal responses to pain are generally subdued. We suggest that analgesia is the mechanism, and concealment of the parturient female the adaptive significance behind this blocking of vocal pain responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Control of cyathostome infections in mares treated at parturition with ivermectin.

Six mares were treated on the day of parturition with an intramuscular injection of 0.2 mg kg-1 ivermectin and placed in a pasture free of equine parasites as soon as possible after foaling. The mares and their foals were compared with a similar group of untreated mares and foals on an adjoining pasture. The experimental data was derived from mare and foal fecal egg counts, foal necropsies and pasture larval counts. Ivermectin administered to mares on the day of parturition, when combined with movement to parasite-free pastures, significantly lowered the cyathostome (small strongyle) egg production for 4 months. This reduced cyathostome exposure was reflected in lower worm-burdens in their foals for 5 months. The results indicate that ivermectin will effectively control equine strongyles when mares and their foals are moved to parasite-free pastures.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

A new hexasaccharide chain isolated from bovine colostrum kappa-casein taken at the time of parturition.

The carbohydrate units linked to caseinoglycopeptide from colostrum taken 30 min after parturition were released as reduced oligosaccharides by alkaline borohydride treatment, and separated into four acidic oligosacchariditols (a hexa- (11.0%), penta- (38.5%), tetra- (35.5%) and a trisacchariditol (15.0%)). Structural studies showed that the hexasacchariditol was a new structure and had the chemical structure: NeuNAc-alpha-2-3-Gal-beta-1-3-[NeuNAc-alpha-2-3-Gal- beta-1-4-GlcNAc-beta-1-6-]-N-acetylgalactosaminitol(GalNAcItol). The other three oligosacchariditols were shown to be NeuNAc-alpha-2-3-Gal-beta-1-3-[Gal-beta-1-4-GlcNAc-beta-1-6-]-GalNAcItol, NeuNAc-alpha-2-3-Gal-beta-1-3-[NeuNAc-alpha-2-6-]-GalNAcItol and NeuNAc-alpha-2-3-Gal-beta-1-3-GalNAcItol, which were identical with those found previously in colostrum kappa-casein taken 6 h after parturition.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Prostaglandin (PGF2 alpha)-induced parturition in red deer (Cervus elaphus L.).

Prostaglandin PGF2 alpha seems to act satisfactorily as a birth inducing agent in red deer (Cervus elaphus). The progress of actual delivery and lactation in the experiments of induced parturition corresponds with observations from natural conditions. The pattern of response time to the birth inducing agent agrees with experience from domesticated species, being longest in females with the least developed fetuses. Complications such as those reported from practice with induced parturition in domestic species were not experienced in the three experiments on red deer. Applications of prostaglandin PGF2 alpha prior to approximately 18-20 days preterm probably reduce chances for the offspring to survive. This seemingly being due to ontogenetical immaturity in the fetus, and deficient hormonal development in the mother, necessary for normal lactogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cytokines in normal and abnormal parturition: elevated amniotic fluid interleukin-6 levels in women with premature rupture of membranes associated with intrauterine infection.

The participation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the pathophysiology of normal and abnormal human parturition was evaluated by determining IL-6 concentrations in amniotic fluid (AF). Biologically active IL-6 was determined (in U/ml) using the B9 hybridoma growth factor assay, while the concentrations of immunoreactive IL-6 species (in pg/ml) were assessed using a monoclonal antibody (moAb)-based ELISA. Two hundred and twenty-seven AF samples from women in normal labor and from those presenting with a clinical diagnosis of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) were assayed. In selected instances, IL-6 levels were evaluated simultaneously in AF and in maternal and fetal plasma. Women with a normal pregnancy had low titers of biologically active IL-6 in AF both at midtrimester (group 1, n = 27; median IL-6 concentration = 16 U/ml) and at term (group 2, n = 33; median = 15 U/ml). There was an increase in the IL-6 bioactivity in AF from women in normal labor at term (group 3, n = 40; median = 74 U/ml; p less than 0.001). In order to distinguish between the relative contributions of parturition per se and of intrauterine infection to the elevation of biologically active IL-6 levels in AF, IL-6 titers were compared in four different groups of women with PROM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Leukocytic invasion of the ovine cervix at parturition.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to use the activity of a leukocyte-specific enzyme, myeloperoxidase, to quantify changes in leukocyte concentration in the ovine cervix during pregnancy. METHODS: Cervical tissue was collected under halothane general anesthesia from 26 sheep at different stages of gestation, in the nonpregnant state, and postpartum. Myeloperoxidase activity was used to assess the degree of leukocytic infiltration of the tissue. RESULTS: Myeloperoxidase activity was low in cervices from nonpregnant ewes and did not increase during pregnancy until the onset of labor. Myeloperoxidase activity decreased after parturition. CONCLUSION: Labor in sheep is associated with leukocytic invasion of the cervix. This observation suggests that leukocytes could participate in cervical connective-tissue reorganization during dilatation at parturition and in postpartum involution of the cervix in the species.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Increased amniotic fluid leukotriene C4 concentration in term human parturition.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether parturition is associated with changes in the amniotic fluid concentration of leukotriene C4, an arachidonate lipoxygenase metabolite. Amniotic fluid was collected from 36 women not in labor and from 30 women in active labor with cervical dilation of greater than or equal to 6 cm. The concentration of leukotriene C4 was determined by radioimmunoassay. The median amniotic fluid concentration of leukotriene C4 was greater in laboring women than in nonlaboring women: 121 pg/ml (range, 52 to 261 pg/ml) versus 73.5 pg/ml (range, 6 to 249 pg/ml), respectively (p = 0.0008). These data are consistent with activation of the lipoxygenase pathway during spontaneous parturition at term.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1997

Immunohistochemical localization of phospholipase A2 isoforms in human myometrium during pregnancy and parturition.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to localize secretory phospholipase A2 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 isoforms in pregnant human myometrium and to determine changes in expression with gestational age or parturition. STUDY DESIGN: Myometrium was collected at cesarean section at term (>37 weeks) or preterm (<37 weeks) from patients who were or were not in labor (n = 5 each group). Frozen sections were incubated with specific monoclonal antibodies against secretory phospholipase A2 or cytosolic phospholipase A2 and immunostaining visualized with the Vectastain ABC method. The intensity of immunostaining in different cellular localizations was scored by an investigator blinded to tissue identity and compared among tissues with use of the Mantel-Haenszel chi2 test. RESULTS: Secretory phospholipase A2 immunostaining was dispersed in the perinuclear region throughout the myometrial smooth muscle fibers and in vascular smooth muscle. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 immunostaining was predominantly localized to endothelial cells of myometrial blood vessels and weakly throughout myometrial fibers. There was no apparent change in intensity of immunostaining for either isoform with gestational age or with the absence or presence of labor. CONCLUSION: The differential localization of the two phospholipase A2 isoforms suggests different functions. The apparent lack of change in expression during late gestation or with labor possibly suggests changes in myometrial phospholipase A2 activity and hence local myometrial arachidonic acid mobilization and presumably prostaglandin synthesis may not be associated with the onset of or maintenance of parturition.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Expression of prostaglandin H synthase isoforms in human myometrium at parturition.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the isoforms and splicing patterns of prostaglandin H synthase present in pregnant human lower-segment myometrium and determine whether there is differential expression of the isoforms or splice variants with respect to gestational age or parturition. STUDY DESIGN: Lower-segment myometrium was collected at cesarean section at term (>37 weeks) or preterm (<37 weeks) from patients who were or were not in labor. Total messenger ribonucleic acid was isolated and reverse transcribed. Polymerase chain reaction for prostaglandin H synthase isoforms 1 and 2 and calponin were performed. Primers designed to characterize the splicing patterns of exon 9 of prostaglandin H synthase-1 were used. RESULTS: The predominant polymerase chain reaction product in all samples corresponds to prostaglandin H synthase-1 messenger ribonucleic acid spliced to include exon 9, but a less-abundant polymerase chain reaction product corresponding to prostaglandin H synthase-1 messenger ribonucleic acid spliced at the internal donor site of exon 9 was also detected. Prostaglandin H synthase-2 messenger ribonucleic acid was detected in human myometrium at a lower abundance than prostaglandin H synthase-1, and neither prostaglandin H synthase-1 or prostaglandin H synthase-2 messenger ribonucleic acid expression changed significantly with gestational age or labor. CONCLUSION: Both prostaglandin H synthase-1 and prostaglandin H synthase-2 isoforms are present in human myometrium. The prostaglandin H synthase-1 messenger ribonucleic acid that includes all of exon 9 encodes the predominant prostaglandin H synthase-1 isoform present in human myometrium. No significant alterations in the expression or splicing patterns for prostaglandin H synthase-1 were detected with respect to gestational age or the onset of labor; but prostaglandin H synthase-1 expression appeared higher at term in anticipation of labor. Although prostaglandin H synthase-2 is present in human myometrium, induction of prostaglandin H synthase-2 does not occur in lower-segment myometrium at parturition.

Cyclooxygenase 1↗
PubMed1999

A role for the novel cytokine RANTES in pregnancy and parturition.

OBJECTIVE: RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), a potent and versatile chemokine, is capable of attracting monocytes, lymphocytes, basophils, and eosinophils. This cytokine has been implicated in the regulation of the inflammatory response and in the recruitment of macrophages to the implantation site in early pregnancy. RANTES messenger ribonucleic acid and protein have been detected in fetal tissue and first-trimester trophoblast in response to bacterial endotoxin. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intrauterine infection, parturition (preterm and term), and gestational age affect the amniotic fluid concentrations of RANTES in human pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was designed to examine the relationship between labor, microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, gestational age, and RANTES expression in amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid was obtained from 214 women in the following groups: (1) midtrimester (n = 22), (2) preterm labor with intact membranes in the presence (n = 20) or absence (n = 74) of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, (3) term, not in labor (n = 44) and term, in labor in the presence (n = 27) and absence (n = 27) of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was defined as a positive amniotic fluid culture for microorganisms. RANTES concentrations were determined by use of a sensitive and specific immunoassay. RESULTS: (1) Amniotic fluid RANTES concentrations decrease with advancing gestational age (r = 0. 43; P <.01). (2) Labor at term was associated with an increase in median concentrations of RANTES (labor-median, 8.4 pg/mL; range, <1.3-94.4 vs no labor-median, <1.3 pg/mL; range, <1.3-230.3; P <.01). (3) Women with preterm labor who delivered preterm (no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity) had a higher median concentration of amniotic fluid RANTES than those who delivered at term (median, 12.7 pg/mL; range, <1.3-928 vs median, <1.3 pg/mL; range, <1.3-127. 5; P <.001). (4) Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was associated with a significant increase in median amniotic fluid RANTES in both preterm and term labor (preterm labor with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity-median, 51.6 pg/mL; range, <1.3-2290 vs preterm labor without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity-median, 12.7 pg/mL; range, <1.3-928 and vs preterm labor with delivery at term-median, <1.3 pg/mL; range, <1.3-127.5; P <.001 for each; term labor with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity-median, 16.8 pg/mL; range, <1.3-171.4 vs term labor without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity-median, 8.4 pg/mL; range, <1.3-94.4; P <.05 and vs no labor and no microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity-median, 1.4 pg/mL; range, <1.3-230.3; P <.001 and P <.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results support a role for RANTES in the mechanisms of human parturition and in the regulation of the host response to intrauterine infection.

Amnion↗
PubMed2001

Cell adhesion molecule expression in the cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and parturition.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression and localization of cell adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) in the cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and labor. METHODS: Biopsies of myometrium and cervix were obtained from non-pregnant women and from pregnant women before and after onset of spontaneous labor at term. Cell adhesion molecule mRNA expression was quantified using Northern blotting and cell adhesion molecule protein was localized using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: ICAM-1 mRNA was upregulated in the cervix (10-fold increase, P <.01) and myometrium (10.5-fold increase, P <.01) during labor. ICAM-1 was localized in the vascular endothelium and in leukocytes in the cervix and myometrium from all three groups of women. VCAM mRNA was upregulated in the cervix (2.5-fold increase, P <.01) during pregnancy and there was no further change during labor. VCAM localized weakly to the vascular endothelium in cervical and myometrial biopsies from pregnant and non-pregnant women. PECAM mRNA was significantly upregulated in myometrium during pregnancy (ninefold increase, P <.01) and did not change with the onset of labor. PECAM localized to the vascular endothelium in all cervical and myometrial biopsies and was identified on leukocytes. There were no significant changes in E-selectin mRNA expression in either tissue with pregnancy or parturition. CONCLUSION: Cell adhesion molecule expression changes in human cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and parturition. At least part of these changes are attributable to expression by leukocytes infiltrating these tissues.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Evaluation of parturition and other reproductive variables as risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life.

OBJECTIVE: To assess specific parturition and reproductive variables as potential risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life. METHODS: A mail survey was conducted with a random sample of 1922 women members of a large health maintenance organization. Multivariate analysis was used to estimate the independent association between parturition factors, hysterectomy, hormone use, and incontinence. RESULTS: Completed surveys were returned by 939 women (49%), 682 of whom reported at least one episode of incontinence in the past 12 months or ever having been treated for incontinence. On univariate analysis, women with incontinence were more likely to be white and heavier and to have had a hysterectomy before age 45, at least one live birth, a postdate (at least 42 weeks' gestation) birth, a labor lasting longer than 24 hours, and exposure to oxytocin. The risk of incontinence increased significantly with the number of exposures to oxytocin. In a multivariate model including age, there was a significant association between incontinence and white race (odds ratio [OR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2, 2.8), body mass (OR for fourth quartile 3.0, 95% CI 1.8, 5.0), estrogen replacement (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3, 2.8) and oxytocin (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0, 3.6). Parity was also associated with incontinence (P < .05). CONCLUSION: This study supports previous findings of a positive association between urinary incontinence and body mass, parity, and use of estrogen. In addition, we found a significant independent association between exposure to oxytocin during labor and incontinence in later life.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8 concentrations in the lower uterine segment during parturition at term.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the roles of interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, and fibroblasts in the lower uterine segment during parturition. METHODS: Lower uterine segment biopsy specimens were obtained from 36 women undergoing cesarean delivery at various stages of cervical dilation (less than 2 cm, n = 8; 2 to less than 4 cm, n = 9; 4-6 cm, n = 10; more than 6 cm, n = 9). The concentrations of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8 in protein extracts prepared from the tissue samples were measured by enzyme immunoassays. The effect of incubation with interleukin-1beta (30 U/mL) on interleukin-8 secretion by lower uterine segment fibroblasts in vitro also was determined. RESULTS: The median interleukin-1beta concentration in the specimens increased from 1.3 pg/mg of total protein at less than 2 cm of dilation to 22.2 pg/mg of total protein at 4-6 cm of dilation (P < .05). No further increase was detectable after 6 cm of dilation. The interleukin-8 concentration increased from 17.2 pg/mg of total protein at less than 2 cm of dilation to 2080.7 pg/mg of total protein at 4-6 cm of dilation (P < .05), thus paralleling the increase in interleukin-1beta concentration. Interleukin-1beta induced a significant increase in interleukin-8 secretion by fibroblasts in vitro, from 0.8 ng/10(6) cells to 35.6 ng/10(6) cells. CONCLUSION: The increase in interleukin-8 concentration in the lower uterine segment during parturition may be induced by interleukin-1beta and fibroblasts may be one of the sources of this interleukin-8.

Adult↗