Feasibility Study to Compare Oxytocin Function Between Body Mass Index Groups at Term Labor Induction.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Oxytocin plays a crucial role in labor and delivery.
• Obesity in pregnancy is associated with altered physiological responses.
• Understanding oxytocin system function in relation to maternal obesity is important for optimizing birth outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the feasibility of a protocol designed to investigate the association between oxytocin system function and birth outcomes.
• To compare oxytocin system parameters and birth outcomes between pregnant women with normal weight and those with obesity undergoing labor induction.

Main Methods:

• A prospective descriptive study was conducted at an academic medical center.
• Participants included 30 pregnant women (15 normal weight, 15 obese) scheduled for labor induction at >= 40 weeks gestation.
• Data collection involved blood samples, chart review, and questionnaires; statistical analyses included t-tests and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• The study achieved high recruitment (85.7%), protocol adherence (97.1%), and questionnaire completion (80.0%).
• Mean plasma oxytocin concentration was significantly higher in the obese group compared to the normal weight group.
• Increased oxytocin receptor DNA methylation was observed in the obese group.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol is feasible for assessing oxytocin system function and birth outcomes in pregnant women across different body mass index categories.
• This protocol can serve as a basis for future studies with larger sample sizes to explore variations in oxytocin system measurements and childbirth outcomes.