Oxytocin and Pregnancy

Oxytocin, an important neuropeptide, exerts a wide influence on the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues. In the central nervous system, the oxytocin gene expression is mainly shown to be present in neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. Oxytocin gene also transcribes in the peripheral tissues such as uterus, placenta, and amnion. Oxytocin receptors can be founded in many tissues in humans, like the uterine, ovary, testis, kidney, and so on. And just in the same tissue, due to the variation of physiology factors, the amount of oxytocin changes a lot. Oxytocin secretion is closely linked with pregnancy advancing. During labor, the contractions of uterine smooth muscles and oxytocin secretion are inseparable. Moreover, oxytocin is also responsible for stimulating milk ejection after parturition. Oxytocin is associated with many diseases. Poor regulation of oxytocin may cause postpartum depression and infantile autism. In terms of physiology, fatal heart failure and gestational hypertension are concerned with oxytocin level. In this chapter, we will discuss the oxytocin in pregnancy as well as its clinical applications.

The Role of Third Trimester Oxytocin Level in Predicting Postpartum Depression Symptoms among Jordanian Mothers.

Background: About one in five women suffer from postpartum depression, placing it the leading complication during childbirth. Oxytocin has been suggested to play a key role in modulating maternal behaviour and stress-related disorders. However, there is little evidence to support its role in predicting postpartum depression. Our aim is to investigate the relationship between serum oxytocin level in the third trimester and early-onset postpartum depression symptoms and whether oxytocin is capable of predicting postpartum depression symptoms.Methods: A total of 172 healthy pregnant women participated in this cross-sectional descriptive study. The serum oxytocin level was measured between 34 and 37 weeks. A validated Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess symptoms of depression four to six weeks postpartum. Participants with EPDS scores of 13 or more were considered having depressive symptoms. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were provided. Independent sample t-test and Pearson r were used to examine differences in depression scores between selected demographic, psychosocial, and clinical variables. The level of significance for all analyses was set at α=0.05.Results: 8% of participants have scored 13 or above at the EPDS. Pearson r indicated that there was no correlation between EPDS scores and oxytocin level r(170)=0.10, p=0.23. Furthermore, there was no correlation between EPDS scores and oxytocin level among women with a lifetime history of depression, r(43)= - 0.13, p=0.37. Independent t-test has shown that participants with low education, low income, previous history of depression, positive family history of depression, positive family issues and absent emotional family support have scored significantly higher on EPDS scores than their counterparts. The association with a previous lifetime history of depression was noticeable t(170)= - 4.40, p<0.001.Conclusions: There was no relation between late antenatal third trimester serum oxytocin level and early onset postpartum depression symptoms. Third trimester serum oxytocin level alone was not capable of predicting early onset postpartum depression.

Effect of Infant Massage on Salivary Oxytocin Level of Mothers and Infants with Normal and Disordered Bonding

Maternal-infant bonding is an affective maternal-driven process that occurs primarily to her infant. Prophylactic interventions or treatment of disordered bonding include infant massage. Evidence suggests that oxytocin plays an important role in facilitation of mother–infant bonding. Main objective is to assess the effect of infant massage on salivary oxytocin level of mothers and their infant during postpartum period. And to assess the difference of oxytocin level in normal and disordered maternal-infant bonding. This study is a quasi-experimental study, carried out on 37 pairs of mothers and their infants from second to sixth month postpartum, attending Basateen Gharb primary health care center (PHC) in Albasateen district, Cairo, Egypt. Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) was used to differentiate between mothers with normal and disordered bonding. Pre and post massage salivary samples were taken from mothers and their infants. Tappan’s technique of infant massage was used. Results showed that 48.6% (N = 18) of mothers had disordered maternal infant bonding. Mothers and infants with normal bonding showed a positive relationship with their salivary oxytocin level post massage. On the other hand, mothers and infants with disordered bonding showed no change in their salivary oxytocin level post massage. Salivary oxytocin level in male infants has decreased post massage, while oxytocin level in female infants has increased post massage in mothers with normal bonding. We concluded that infant massage increases salivary oxytocin level in mothers and infants with normal bonding and it has no effect on salivary oxytocin level of mothers and infants with disordered bonding.

No change in oxytocin level before a human intergroup competition: study among Polish players before rugby and handball matches

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess the changes in urinary oxytocin concentration during the period between five days before, and on the day of match, among rugby and handball players.MethodsThe study used a repeated measures design with the relative oxytocin level as the outcome variable measured at two subsequent points of time, viz., on five days before as well as on the days of matches. Nine male rugby players with a mean age of 27.62 years (SD = 4.21) and 18 male handball players with a mean age of 17.03 years (SD = 0.57) participated. Urinary oxytocin level was measured by ELISA immunoassay as a ratio to the concentration of creatinine [mg/ml] measured through colorimetric detection. Differences in oxytocin level were assessed by ANOVA with repeated measurements.ResultsThe OT/CRE levels significantly differed between the type of player (rugby or handball) but not between times of measurements. Tukey’s post-hoc tests revealed that significant differences were only between OT/CRE level in a day of match in rugby players and in 5 days before match in handball players (p<0.05).ConclusionThere was no change in oxytocin levels during the time periods between five days before and on the day of a match, in either of the two kinds of players. The change in oxytocin might be traceable during the match but not before a match and thus perhaps depends on a more subtle context of competition, but not on the assumption of competition.