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The negative correlation between prolactin and ionic calcium in cord blood of full term infants
Insights
Maternal and fetal blood analysis reveals higher calcium and prolactin levels in newborns. This suggests active calcium transport across the placenta, with fetal hypercalcemia potentially inhibiting prolactin secretion.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Maternal-Fetal Physiology
Background:
- Calcium homeostasis is crucial during pregnancy.
- Hormonal influences on fetal calcium levels are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare maternal and cord blood levels of key minerals and hormones.
- To investigate the relationship between fetal calcium and specific hormones.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of paired maternal and cord blood samples (n=30).
- Measurement of total calcium, ionic calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, total protein, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and prolactin.
- Assessment of albumin's calcium-binding capacity.
Main Results:
- Cord blood showed higher concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, albumin, calcitonin, and prolactin compared to maternal blood.
- Fetal ionic calcium positively correlated with maternal calcium levels.
- A negative correlation was observed between fetal ionic calcium and fetal prolactin.
Conclusions:
- Evidence supports an active placental calcium transport system from mother to fetus.
- Fetal hypercalcemia may inhibit fetal prolactin secretion.
Abstract:
Total serum calcium (Ca), ionic calcium (Ca++), phosphorus, magnesium, total protein, immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH), calcitonin (iCT) and prolactin (iPRL) were measured in 30 paired samples of cord and maternal blood obtained at term delivery. In the cord blood, the concentrations of Ca, Ca++, phosphorus, magnesium, albumin, iCT and iPRL were all higher, and the concentrations of total protein and iPTH lower than in the maternal blood. The calcium binding capacity of albumin assessed with the equation (Ca-Ca++)/albumin, was similar at a given concentration of Ca in both the maternal and fetal circulations. There was a significant positive correlation between cord Ca++ and maternal Ca or Ca++, and a significant negative correlation between Ca++ and iPRL in cord blood. These data suggest that there is an active system transporting calcium from mother to fetus through the placenta, and PRL is the only one of the three hormones which was correlated with ionic calcium values in the fetus. The negative relationship between Ca++ and iPRL in the cord blood suggests an inhibitory effect of the relative hypercalcemia on PRL secretion in the fetus.