Phasic maternal prolactin secretion during spontaneous labor is associated with cervical dilatation and second-stage uterine activity

Abstract

These data suggest that phasic PRL secretion is associated with cervical dilatation and that after transition to the second stage of labor, uterine contraction frequency may be associated with the increase in PRL levels.

Maternal prolactin secretion during labor. The role of dopamine

“…Prolactin levels decreased until 1-2 h antepartum, then increased for about 3 h and then they finally decreased, starting at 2 h postpartum and reaching values lower than the basic at 6 h postpartum. These findings are generally in agreement with those reported in other studies (24)(25)(26)(27), with only minor differences regarding the exact time at which the extreme PRL values were recorded and the level was of statistical significance.…”

“…However, this pattern does not appear during labor. Instead, a multiphasic secretion pattern has been demonstrated, initially by Rigg and Yen (24), and this finding has been confirmed by other investigators since then (25)(26)(27).…”

“…There is a bulk of evidence suggesting that the upward trend in PRL levels during pregnancy is interrupted by the event of labor and it is replaced by a multiphasic pattern (20,(24)(25)(26)(27)31). It seems that labor includes or activates mechanisms that affect prolactin regulation; at the same time maternal prolactin seems to become rather unresponsive to usual stimuli, e.g.…”