Beta-endorphin levels during pregnancy and labor: a role in pain modulation?
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1College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson.
Discovery of the endogenous opiate system of the brain has revolutionized the study of pain and pain management. In this study a convenience sample of 10 pregnant women, 16 nonpregnant women, and 18 men were studied to determine if changes in plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity affected pain perception during labor. Pregnant women had plasma levels of beta-endorphin significantly higher than nonpregnant women at the midpoint of their menstrual cycle, t = 3.74, df = 31, p = .007. Self-reported pain perception scores were not correlated with plasma beta-endorphin levels. However, as labor progressed, the women reported increased discomfort between contractions and during contractions while beta-endorphin levels increased only slightly. Close examination of the pain pattern indicates that pain perceived by the women between contractions increased at a greater rate than during contractions. This pattern suggests that opiate-active beta-endorphin may increase the ability of women to tolerate acute pain.
Discovery of the endogenous opiate system of the brain has revolutionized the study of pain and pain management. In this study a convenience sample of 10 pregnant women, 16 nonpregnant women, and 18 men were studied to determine if changes in plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity affected pain perception during labor. Pregnant women had plasma levels of beta-endorphin significantly higher than nonpregnant women at the midpoint of their menstrual cycle, t = 3.74, df = 31, p = .007. Self-reported pain perception scores were not correlated with plasma beta-endorphin levels. However, as labor progressed, the women reported increased discomfort between contractions and during contractions while beta-endorphin levels increased only slightly. Close examination of the pain pattern indicates that pain perceived by the women between contractions increased at a greater rate than during contractions. This pattern suggests that opiate-active beta-endorphin may increase the ability of women to tolerate acute pain.