CORTISOL RESPONSE IN ACUTE FETAL DISTRESS

Thirty neonates born after having acute intrapartum distress (study gr oup) and 30 neonates matched for gestation, born without any clinical evidence of acute foetal distress (control group) were studied. Neonat es with congenital malformation were excluded. Samples for cortisol es timation were taken from cord artery, cord vein at birth and from peri pheral vein at 6 h of age. At birth maternal venous blood was also tak en for cortisol estimation. Cortisol level was estimated by radioimmun oassay. Cord' blood pH was measured immediately at birth in all neonat es whereas base deficits were estimated in 20 neonates in the study gr oup and 23 neonates in control group. Cortisol levels did not differ s ignificantly in the groups with or without foetal distress. There was no significant correlation between cord blood pH and cord arterial cor tisol levels. Significant positive correlation was found between cord arterial cortisol and maternal cortisol levels. We failed to find any significant cortisol response in acute foetal distress.