Umbilical venous D-dimer concentrations with and without labor

  • Amy P. Murtha
  • , Kim A. Boggess
  • , Cathy E. Jimmerson
  • , Phillip C. Greig
  • , William N.P. Herbert

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To determine if labor activates the fetal fibrinolyric system. Methods: A total of 59 umbilical venous blood samples were collecting following vaginal delivery at term (n = 20), cesarean delivery following labor at term (n = 12), vaginal delivery before term (n = 18), and cesarean delivery without labor (n = 9). D-dimer concentrations, a sensitive marker of fibrinolysis, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and compared between groups by Kruskel-Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests, with significance defined as P < .05. Results: There were no significant differences in median D-dimer concentrations between newborns delivered vaginally or by cesarean after term labor or preterm labor. There were significant differences in median umbilical venous D-dimer concentrations in subjects delivered vaginally or by cesarean after term or preterm labor compared with term subjects without labor delivered by cesarean (427, 773, and 326 versus 87 ng/mL, P = .01). Conclusion: Elevation of umbilical plasma D-dimer concentrations in laboring patients suggests activation of fetal fibrinolysis before delivery.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)184-186
Number of pages3
JournalObstetrics and gynecology
Volume92
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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