Maternal and fetal oxidative stress and intrapartum term fever

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

A nested case control study was performed within a prospective cohort of term nulliparous women: 20 cases (intrapartum fever of >100.4 degrees 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.

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 microg 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 microg protein; P = .99)

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.