Effect of labor duration on fetal fibrinolysis. A pilot study

OBJECTIVE: Activation of neonatal and maternal fibrinolysis at birth has been shown earlier. To evaluate further on the effect of labor duration on the fetal fibrinolysis, we conducted this preliminary study.

METHODS: An indirect assessment of activation of fetal fibrinolysis was carried out, by measuring the cord blood D-dimer. The cord blood samples were obtained randomly from 11 women undergoing vaginal delivery at term. Specimens were analyzed within 2 hours by using latex agglutination test. Pregnancy details were obtained from the delivery ward register.

RESULTS: The mean duration of labor was noted to be 5.4 hours (3.5- 9.46). The mean maternal age was 25.5 years (21-34). The mean gravidity was 2.4 (1-5) and the mean parity was 1.4 (1-4). No effect of duration of labor on the cord blood D-dimer concentration was observed.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that it is not the time or duration of labor process that is involved in the activation of fetal fibrinolysis. The role of uterotropins and uterotonins (oxytocin, prostaglandins and endothelin-1), in activation of fetal fibrinolysis, should be evaluated in further studies.