Clinical features of labor and morphological aspects of the myometrium receptor profile in obese women

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity is currently considered as one of the most significant social chronic diseases. It has been proven that obese pregnant women are more likely than women with normal body weight to experience complications of pregnancy and labor. The most frequent complications of labor in obese women are weakness and discoordination, which are probably associated with a decrease in the sensitivity of the myometrium to oxytocin, due to suppression of oxytocin receptor expression. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical features of labor and morphological aspects of the myometrium receptor apparatus in obese women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective assessment of labor activity in women with obesity, with a combination of obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus and in healthy women. We also conducted a morphological study of myometrium biopsies obtained during cesarean section. RESULTS: Obese patients are more likely to experience various complications of pregnancy and labor, which is the reason for the higher frequency of operative delivery. Patients with obesity showed lower expression of oxytocin receptors in the lower segment of the uterus, which, apparently, is the cause of abnormal contractility of the myometrium during labor and the lack of effect from drug correction of this condition. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of obesity in women before pregnancy contributes to frequent complications of pregnancy and labor, abnormal uterine contractility related to the decreased oxytocin receptor expression, and a high incidence of surgical delivery.