OXYTOCIN, PROLACTIN, MILK-PRODUCTION AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH PERSONALITY-TRAITS IN WOMEN AFTER VAGINAL DELIVERY OR CESAREAN-SECTION

The aim of the present study was to investigate if personality profile s reflecting anxiety and social interaction of mothers who delivered b y Cesarean section (CS) or by the vaginal route (VD) differed in early postpartum and to investigate whether these personality traits were c orrelated with hormonal data. Seventeen women delivered by emergency C S and 20 by the vaginal route were selected for this study. The amount of milk transferred to the baby was measured. Blood samples were coll ected during the second breast-feeding on the second day after deliver y. The samples were analysed for oxytocin and prolactin. After breastf eeding, the mothers were asked to fill in the personality inventory, K arolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). The scores were compared betwee n the two groups and with a normative group of women. Each scale on th e personality inventory was correlated with hormonal parameters. The K SP showed significant differences between the delivered mothers and th e normative group in variables related to anxiety and socialization. T he VD mothers deviated more than the CS mothers from the normative gro up. Correlations with hormonal data indicated that anxiety was inverse ly related with basal levels of oxytocin and prolactin in the CS mothe rs, whereas the pulsatility of oxytocin was related to social desirabi lity in both groups. Social desirability and oxytocin pulsativity were also correlated with the amount of milk transferred from the mother t o the baby. The correlations indicate that central oxytocin, as reflec ted by basal plasma levels and patterns, may be involved in behavioral adaptations to the maternal role.