Maternal and fetal oxidative stress and intrapartum term fever

Objective

The association between maternal chorioamnionitis and fetal oxidative stress has not been well established.

Study Design

A nested case control study was performed within a prospective cohort of term nulliparous women: 20 cases (intrapartum fever of >100.4°F) and 20 afebrile controls. Oxidative stress was assessed using ThioGlo-1 (TG-1; Calbiochem, San Diego, CA) fluorescent sulfhydryl detection. Median levels (± interquartile range) of protein-thiol sulfhydryls were compared.

Results

In early labor, maternal oxidative stress (lower protein sulfhydryls) was significantly higher in those women who subsequently had intrapartum fever develop (79.87 ± 22.88 vs 127.73 ± 43.79 counts/second per μg protein; P < .001). In contrast, cord serum sulfhydryls were not different between groups (75.77 ± 14.00 vs 75.04 ± 17.83 counts/second per μg protein; P = .99)

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the term human fetus is protected from maternal oxidative stress associated with intrapartum fever. However, maternal oxidative status in early labor is associated with subsequent intrapartum fever. Optimal fetal neuroprotection will require a more precise knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms.

Key words: fetal neuroprotection, fever, inflammation, intrapartum fever, oxidative stress