Labour as a manifestation of systemic inflammatory reaction (Literature review)

Abstract

Childbirth is the result of a rapid biological reaction, in which the humoral and cellular links of immunity take part. Therefore, all attempts to stop the uterine premature contractile activity at the level of the myometrium have only a temporary effect. This review deals with the modern scientific data about the role of immune mechanisms in the labor activity origin from the point of view of the possibilities of predicting its anomalies and pathogenetically based treatment of premature labor.Cytokine balance plays a role already in the process of implantation, during the interaction between the endometrium and the fertilized egg. The increased content of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the endometrium is more typical for the women with normal implantation than for the patients with recurrent reproductive losses. Endometrial decidualization, vascular remodeling occurs under the influence of pro-inflammatory mediators. The traditional view of the preterm labor pathogenesis assumes its infectious nature, which is confirmed by the prevalence of infection in premature newborns and is explained by the activation of pro-inflammatory mediators.Modern opinions regarding the primacy of the inflammatory response in premature rupture of the fetal membranes are outlined. The heterogeneity of the inflammatory response in different patients found an explanation in the polymorphism of genes encoding the main receptors of the immune response – TOLL receptors. The discovery of numerous proteins of the acute inflammation phase led to the search for their role in the implementation of labor activity. So far, the ability to stimulate labor activity has been shown for FCGR3A protein and haptoglobin.Inadequate consideration of the inflammatory reaction role, in particular its systemic nature, in the pathogenesis of premature labor has led to an overestimation of the possibilities of tocolytic therapy. Meta-analyses indicate that the use of tocolytics, despite the effective increase in the duration of pregnancy, does not improve the condition and prognosis of the newborn. Most tocolytic drugs have a point of application of a part of the myocyte, contact with which blocks its contraction. However, all of them, with the exception of indomethacin, do not affect the immunological causes of the development of premature labor, and therefore do not eliminate their effect on the fetus.The inflammatory reaction does not always have an infectious origin, so the management of routinely prescribing antibacterial drugs to prevent premature births has also not spread. At present, it should be recognized that powerful inflammatory processes underlying labor activity, premature in particular, in most cases determine the inevitability of premature birth.Research on finding the regulation of inflammatory mechanisms for the regulation of labor activity can be considered promising, but they are in the early theoretical stages. For a modern doctor, the systemic nature of the inflammatory reaction is of practical importance for understanding the reasons for the rapid generalization of the process in chorioamnionitis, timely diagnosis and response, as well as the features of the course of the early neonatal period.