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Amniotic-fluid ingestion by parturient rats enhances pregnancy-mediated analgesia

Kristal, Dr. Mark B. and Thompson, Alexis C. and Abbott, P. and DiPirro, Jean M. and Ferguson, E.J. and Doerr, J. C. (1990) Amniotic-fluid ingestion by parturient rats enhances pregnancy-mediated analgesia. [Journal (Paginated)]

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Abstract

Amniotic fluid and placenta contain a substance (POEF, for Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor) that, when ingested, enhances opioid-mediated analgesia in nonpregnant rats; ingestion of the substance by rats not experiencing opioid-mediated analgesia, however, does not produce analgesia. It is highly likely that periparturitional analgesia-enhancement is a significant benefit of ingestion of the afterbirth (placentophagia) during delivery. Here we report that prepartum ingestion of amniotic fluid (via orogastric infusion) does indeed enhance the endogenous-opioid-mediated analgesia evident at the end of pregnancy and during delivery; that the degree of enhancement is greater with 0.75 ml than with 0.25 ml, and that the prepartum enhancement of analgesia can be blocked with the opioid antagonist naloxone.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:placentophagia, POEF, amniotic fluid, analgesia, pain, delivery, parturition, rat
Subjects:Psychology > Psychobiology
Neuroscience > Neuropharmacology
Neuroscience > Behavioral Neuroscience
ID Code:5769
Deposited By: Kristal, Mark B.
Deposited On:22 Oct 2007 10:44
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:56

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