DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF OXYTOCIN, PROLACTIN BUT NOT CORTISOL RELEASE DURING BREAST-FEEDING IN WOMEN DELIVERED BY CESAREAN-SECTION OR BY THE VAGINAL ROUTE
E. Nissen et al., DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF OXYTOCIN, PROLACTIN BUT NOT CORTISOL RELEASE DURING BREAST-FEEDING IN WOMEN DELIVERED BY CESAREAN-SECTION OR BY THE VAGINAL ROUTE, Early human development, 45(1-2), 1996, pp. 103-118
The aim of this study was to find out whether the hormonal patterns of
oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol differed between women delivered by
emergency section or by the vaginal route and if these patterns show a
ny relation to the duration of breastfeeding. Seventeen mothers with e
mergency section (C.S.) and 20 mothers with normal vaginal delivery (V
.D.) were blood sampled in connection with breastfeeding on day 2 post
partum for oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol. The number of oxytocin p
ulses as calculated with the PULSAR program occurring during the first
10 min of the breastfeeding session varied between 0 and 5. The V.D.
mothers had significantly more pulses than the C.S. ones. Furthermore
the C.S. women lacked a significant rise in prolactin levels at 20-30
min after the onset of breastfeeding. Logistic regression analysis rev
ealed mode of delivery and infant's age at first breastfeed to be the
most important, independent variables showing a relation to the releas
e pattern of oxytocin on day 2. Correlations between,oxytocin pulsatil
ity on day 2 and the duration of the exclusive breastfeeding period in
the V.D. group suggest that development of an early pulsatile oxytoci
n pattern is of importance for breastfeeding.