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Gender is a crucial determinant of life span, but little is known about gender differences in free radical homeostasis and inflammatory signaling. The aim of the study was to determine gender-related differences concerning oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling of healthy neonates and mothers. Fifty-six mothers with normal gestational course and spontaneous delivery were selected. Blood samples were collected from the mother (at the beginning of delivery and start of expulsive period) and from neonate (from umbilical cord vein and artery). The mothers of girls featured a higher total antioxidant status and lower plasma hydroperoxides than the mother of boys. Regarding the neonates, the girls featured a higher total antioxidant status and lower plasma membrane hydroperoxides in umbilical cord artery together with higher catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities. Lower levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and prostaglandin E2 were observed in the mothers of girls and higher level of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II. In the neonates, lower levels of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were observed in umbilical artery and higher soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II in umbilical cord vein and artery of girls. An association between gender, oxidative stress, and inflammation signaling exists, leading to a renewed interest in the neonate’s sex as a potential risk factor to several alterations.

To compare umbilical cord acid–base status and blood gas analysis between umbilical cords clamped within 10 s and at 2 min of delivery. A total of 158 healthy full-term mothers were randomly assigned to an early clamping (

The objective of the current study was to investigate for the first time and simultaneously the oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling induced during the delivery in healthy mothers and their neonates. 56 mothers with normal gestational course and spontaneous delivery were selected. Blood samples were taken from mother (before and after delivery) both from vein and artery of umbilical cord. Lower antioxidant enzymes activities were observed in neonates compared with their mothers and lower oxidative stress in umbilical cord artery with respect to vein. There was an overexpression of inflammatory cytokines in the mother, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and, in addition, PGE2was also increased. Neonates showed lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-αand higher values of sTNF-RII and PGE2in comparison with their mothers. Parturition increases oxidative damage in the mother, although the indicators of oxidative damage were lower in umbilical cord artery with respect to umbilical vein. The overexpression of inflammatory cytokines reveals that fetus suffers its own inflammatory process during parturition.