ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate congenital infection risk on the basic of cytokines IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha levels in blood serum and amniotic liquid in pregnant women and in umbilical blood of neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 37 women in labor including 17 mothers with normal pregnancy (group A-test) and 20 suspected of intrauterine infection (group C). There have been indicated cytokines IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha in amniotic liquid and in blood serum collected in the second stage of labor and in umbilical blood serum. The accepted procedure used in our study resulted from the assumption that the analysis of cytokines in amniotic liquid collected without amniocentesis was beneficial. RESULTS: It has been proved that among women in labor from group C there is a high concentration of IL-6 and TNF alpha in amniotic liquid that has statistic significance as far as markers for women with normal pregnancy are concerned (group A). Lower levels of IL-6 than in amniotic liquid but statistically meaningful in relation to the markers in group A have been detected in serum collected from pregnant women and in the umbilical blood of the neonates. Among 18 neonates delivered by mothers from group C the symptoms of congenital infection have appeared. CONCLUSION: Extending diagnostics of congenital infection on the basis of the analyzed cytokines, mainly IL-6 in the second stage of labor, is of prognostic significance.
