Effects of gestational age on blood cortisol and prolactin levels during pregnancy in malaria endemic area

• Published in: PloS one 2024-11, Vol.19 (11), p.e0310372
• Main Authors: Kiemde, Francois, Sorgho, Hermann, Zango, Serge Henri, Some, Gnohion Fabrice, Rouamba, Toussaint, Traore, Ousmane, Kabore, Berenger, Natama, Hamtandi Magloire, Hien, Yeri Esther, Valea, Innocent, Schallig, Henk, Tinto, Halidou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Amenorrhea; Biology and Life Sciences; Blood; Blood levels; Complications and side effects; Cord blood; Corticosteroids; Cortisol; Data collection; Delivery scheduling; Endemic diseases; Endocrine system; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Female; Fetal Blood - metabolism; Gestational Age; Health aspects; Health facilities; Hormones; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hydrocortisone - blood; Immune system; Immunity (Disease); Immunology; Light microscopy; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - blood; Malaria, Falciparum - epidemiology; Malaria, Falciparum - parasitology; Measurement; Medicine and Health Sciences; Optical microscopy; Pathogens; Peripheral blood; Plasma; Plasmodium falciparum; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - blood; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - epidemiology; Pregnant women; Prolactin; Prolactin - blood; Regression models; Statistical analysis; Umbilical cord; Vector-borne diseases; Womens health; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310372

The hormonal shift occurring in pregnant women is crucial for the outcome of pregnancy. We conducted a study in pregnant women living in a malaria endemic area to determine the potential effect of gestational age on the modulation of the endocrine system by cortisol and prolactin production during pregnancy. Primigravidae and multigravidae with a gestational age between 16-20 weeks were included in the study and followed up to delivery and 6-7 weeks thereafter. Venous blood was collected at scheduled visit: Visit 1 (V1; 16-20 weeks of amenorrhea), Visit 2 (V2; 28 ±1 weeks of pregnancy), Visit 3 (V3; 32 ±1 weeks of pregnancy), Visit4 (V4; delivery) and Visit5 (V5; 6-7 weeks after delivery). In addition, a cord blood sample was also collected during labour at delivery. Nulliparous and primiparous/multiparous non-pregnant women were enrolled in the control group. Cortisol and prolactin plasma concentrations were measured using ichroma II and i-chamber apparatus. Light microscopy was used to detect Plasmodium falciparum infections. A linear mixed-effects regression (LMER) model was used to assess the association between the variation of cortisol titres and prolactin levels during the pregnancy and the post-partum. Results showed that cortisol and prolactin levels in the peripheral blood were globally up-regulated during pregnancy. Concentrations of cortisol during follow-up was significantly higher in primigravidae than in multigravidae during the whole pregnancy (p