Purpose
The purpose of this study was to study the dynamics of secretory IgA (s-IgA) in the saliva during parturition, then use this information to investigate the stressors during parturition in terms of the immediate human environment, that is, the family.
Methodology
The subjects of the study were 18 parturients who had given their consent to be in the study. Ten of them were primiparas, while the remaining eight subjects were multiparas. None of these subjects showed any complications during their pregnancies, and all had normal vaginal deliveries at term.
Samples of saliva were taken during the final term of pregnancy and again during delivery, and the s-IgA contained therein was quantified using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit (MBL Co. Nagoya. Japan). The time course for taking the saliva samples during delivery was as follows: Samples were first taken after the pains of the delivery had appeared and the subject had just entered the hospital, and then were taken every two hours after that until the subject entered the delivery room.
Nurses who were present during the delivery were also given a questionnaire, which included questions about whether or not family members were present.
Results
The concentration of s-IgA in the saliva during delivery differed considerably from one individual to another. However, in all cases these values were significantly higherat 6 hours before delivery than at 16 hours before. The values at 6 hours before delivery were also higher than the saliva s-IgA concentrations during the final term of pregnancy.
In addition, a positive correlation was found between the time family members were present and the s-IgA concentration in the saliva two hours before delivery.
Conclusion
Before the study, we had expected that the intensive labor and birth pains during delivery and the high stress of parturition would result in a low s-IgA concentration. However, we found that s-IgA concentration in the saliva actually rose during the course of delivery. In addition, because there was a positive correlation between the time family members were present and the s-IgA concentration in the saliva, it is possible that the presence of family members may be an important factor related to stress during parturition.
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