Who Plays the Strings in Newborn Analgesia at Birth, Vasopressin or Oxytocin?

Delivery room deaths of extremely preterm babies: an observational study

“…We know that extremely low GA does not protect babies from feeling pain; indeed, their threshold of pain is particularly low 27. Nonetheless, perinatal analgesia by endogenous substances might protect them from pain 28. In our study, pain/discomfort was assessed subjectively, without the scores normally used in NICUs; as signs of eol discomfort are difficult to assess in these newborns, it is difficult to know when to start or modify treatment.…”

Primary palliative care in the delivery room: patients’ and medical personnel’s perspectives

“…Third, arginine-vasopressin, which acts via the vasopressin receptor 1A as a potent endogenous pain killer and has been strongly implicated in perinatal analgesia, is released at high quantities during birth. 20,21 Finally, neonates in the DR receiving adequate PPC do not suffer from procedure-related pain and are rarely exposed to diseaserelated pain. Prospective research regarding systematic documentation of clinical circumstances and distress symptoms in dying neonates under PPC in the DR is needed to continue exploring these hypotheses.…”

Is Oxytocin a Maternal–Foetal Signalling Molecule at Birth? Implications for Development

“…During birth, oxytocin also exerts an analgesic effect on rat pups, dampening the pain of being born . Neonatal analgesia is an area where the activity of vasopressin also plays a role . Soon after birth, a surge of oxytocin is necessary and sufficient to trigger the onset of feeding behaviour in newborn mouse pups .…”