Does pregnancy influence eye parameters? Assessment of choroidal thickness using EDI-OCT before and after labour depending on the way of delivery method.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the choroidal thickness (CT) with use of EDI-OCT in patients before and after delivery depending on the mode of delivery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 146 eyes of 73 patients aged 20-34 years, after natural labour (66 eyes) and C-section (80 eyes). Main inclusion criteria: Informed consent to participate in the study, age 18-35 years, single pregnancy, spherical refraction error -4.00 to +4.00 D, no eye pathologies, no surgery and ophthalmic procedures-including refractive surgery, childbirth after 36 weeks of pregnancy, BCVA = 1.0. Patients were examined twice: in 36 WG and on 6th week after the birth. All examinations were carried out between 8:00 am and 10:00 am in order to avoid daily cycle fluctuations. CT measurements were made manually by two independent researchers at: subfoveal and 500 µm, 1000 µm, 1500 µm, 3000 µm temporally and nasally. The student's t-test was made. RESULTS: In C-section group CT differences before and after delivery were statistically significant in 7/9 of the analysed areas. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 370.86 µm vs 388.71 µm in 36 WG and in 6th week postpartum respectively (p = 0.0003). In women after natural labour, differences were statistically significant in 3/9 of the analysed areas. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 303.27 µm vs 308,34 µm in 36 WG and in 6th week postpartum respectively (p = 0.4800). CONCLUSIONS: The thickness of the choroid was lower in women in 36 WG in comparison to 6th week after birth. Changes in the thickness of the choroid are particularly noticeable in women after caesarean section.

Does Caesarean Section or Preterm Delivery Influence TGF-ß2 Concentrations in Human Colostrum?

Human colostrum (HC) is a rich source of immune mediators that play a role in immune defences of a newly born infant. The mediators include transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) which exists in three isoforms that regulate cellular homeostasis and inflammation, can induce or suppress immune responses, limit T helper 1 cells (Th1) reactions and stimulate secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) production. Human milk TGF-ß also decreases apoptosis of intestinal cells and suppresses macrophage cytokine expression. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of TGF-ß2 in HC obtained from the mothers who delivered vaginally (VD) or by caesarean section (CS), and to compare the concentrations in HC from mothers who delivered at term (TB) or preterm (PB). In this study, 56% of preterm pregnancies were delivered via CS. The concentrations of TGF-ß2 were measured in HC from 299 women who delivered in the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Warsaw: 192 (VD), 107 (CS), 251 (TB), and 48 (PB). The colostrum samples were collected within 5 days post-partum. TGF-ß2 levels in HC were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test with the Quantikine ELISA Kit-Human TGF-ß2 (cat.no. SB250). Statistical significance between groups was calculated by the Student t-test using StatSoft Statistica 13 software. The mean TGF-ß2 concentration in patients who delivered at term or preterm were comparable. The levels of TGF-ß2 in HC were higher after preterm than term being 4648 vs. 3899 ng/mL (p = 0.1244). The delivery via CS was associated with higher HC concentrations of TGF-ß2. The levels of TGF-ß2 were significantly higher in HC after CS than VD (7429 vs. 5240 ng/mL; p = 0.0017). The data from this study suggest: caesarean section was associated with increased levels of TGF-ß2 in HC. The increased levels of TGF-ß2 in HC of women who delivered prematurely require further research. Early and exclusive breast-feeding by mothers after caesarean section and premature births with colostrum containing high TGF-ß2 levels may prevent the negative impact of pathogens which often colonize the gastrointestinal tract and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases in this group of patients.