Onur, E.Erçal, T.Karslıoğlu, I.2020-03-262020-03-261989Onur, E., Erçal, T., Karslıoğlu, I., (1989). Prolactin and Cortisol-levels During Spontaneous and Oxytocin İnduced Labor and the Effect of Meperidine. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 244(4), 227-232. Doi: 10.1007/BF015600860932-0067https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01560086https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12395/16079The effect of stress during labour on the plasma concentration of prolactin and cortisol was studied in 30 healthy multiparous women. The plasma concentrations of prolactin and cortisol were measured by radioimmunoassay during oxytocin induced labour, spontaneous labour, delivery and postpartum 24 h. The parturients were divided into three groups. The first group was given oxytocin for the induction of labour, the second group was also given oxytocin for the induction of labour and 100 nag of meperidine was administered intramuscularly for relief of pain and anxiety, and the third group was the control group with normal parturients who did not recieve any medication. The prolactin levels showed a fall during labour in all the groups, but this fall was more marked in the first group where stress was evident. The concentrations of cortisol tended to increase during labour and reached a maximum at delivery in all three groups but in the meperidine group this level was significantly lower than the first and control groups. These results give further support to the hypothesis that maternal stress leads to a reduced concentration of prolactin and increased concentration of cortisol whereas relief of pain and maternal anxiety with meperidine lessens both effects.en10.1007/BF01560086info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessProlactinCortisolMeperidineOxytocinStressLabourArticle24442272322782950Q2WOS:A1989AA67800005N/A