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Am J Perinatol 1984; 1(4): 285-287
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1000022
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1984 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Plasma Renin Activity after Birth and in the Early Newborn Period

Anthony Hadeed, Sharon R. Siegel
  • Department of Pediatrics, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Plasma renin activity (PRA) was studied during delivery in umbilical cord venous blood and serially in the first 48 hours of life. PRA after cesarean section without labor, 15.2 ± 2.3 ng/ml/hr (mean and SEM), was less than after cesarean section with labor, 44.1 ± 8.9 (P <.02), and vaginal delivery, 34.7 ± 4.3 (P <.05). PRA decreased during the first 30 minutes after vaginal delivery from 34.7 ± 4.3 ng/ml/hr to 19.3 ± 3.5 (P <.01); PRA subsequently increased by four hours of life to 38.6 ± 6.7 mg/ml/hr (P <.05) and remained elevated throughout the 48-hour study period. These data show that PRA is stimulated during labor, decreases postnatally, and is again restimulated in the early newborn period.