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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Measuring the Rate of Lipolysis in Ex Vivo Murine Adipose Tissue and Primary Preadipocytes Differentiated In Vitro
Published on: March 17, 2023
Alterations in circulating adiponectin levels occur rapidly after parturition
Jens Fuglsang1, Puk Sandager, Jan Frystyk
1Gynaecological/Obstetrical Research Laboratory, Gynaecological/Obstetrical Department, Clinical Institute, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. fuglsang@ki.au.dk
Objective:
To determine the levels of adiponectin and its subforms before and immediately after delivery to estimate the effect of cessating advanced pregnancy on circulating adiponectin levels.
Design And Methods:
In a cohort of 37 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies and 6 women with twin pregnancies, serum adiponectin was measured before caesarean section (CS) in the fasting state, and 24 and 48 h after CS.
Results:
Serum adiponectin levels declined within 24 h of delivery from median 8.34 mg/l (range 5.57-20.47) to 6.81 mg/l (4.16-17.39) after 24 h and 6.84 mg/l (3.83-17.42) after 48 h. This corresponded to a relative decrease to 83+/-6 and 81+/-7% of pregnant values after 24 and 48 h respectively (P<0.001, ANOVA). In twin pregnancies, maternal adiponectin levels displayed a decrease that was the same as that displayed by them after birth (P<0.001). High-molecular weight adiponectin constituted 50+/-8% (range 34-68%) of total adiponectin. Absolute changes in adiponectin levels after delivery were most pronounced in this subfraction. The percentage medium-molecular weight adiponectin decreased slightly, but significantly (from 37+/-6 to 35+/-5%, P<0.001), and a similar statistically significant rise was observed in the low-molecular weight fraction (from 13+/-2 to 15+/-3%; P<0.001) within 48 h of delivery.
Conclusions:
Decreases in adiponectin levels occur shortly after delivery, and adiponectin subforms initiate the changes towards the non-pregnant state.
