Labor pain effects on colostral milk beta-endorphin concentrations of lactating mothers

beta -Endorphin (beta -EP) levels of colostral milk are approximately two-f old higher than in plasma of lactating women, in who concentrations peak at term, after the first and second stages of labor. We investigated the effe ct of labor pain and vaginal parturition on colostral beta -EP concentratio ns (beta -endorphin I-125 RIA, Incstar Corp., Stillwater, Minn., USA) of at -term nursing mother, in comparison to those having undergone elective cesa rean section. Our results show that colostral milk beta -EP concentrations of mothers who delivered vaginally are significantly higher on the 4th post partum day (6.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.3 +/- 0.4 pmol/l, respectively; p < 0.01) tha n colostral levels of mothers who underwent cesarean section. These data in dicate the important influence of the labor process on the colostral opioid galactopoiesis. It is suggested that labor and parturition pain may increa se colostral milk <beta>-EP concentrations of lactating mothers in order to help the newborn overcome the stressful perinatal events of natural labor and delivery. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.