Patterns of peripheral cytokine expression during pregnancy in two cohorts and associations with inflammatory markers in cord blood

Maternal inflammation indices over pregnancy were associated with inflammation in cord blood at birth. Results have implications for understanding pregnancy inflammatory processes and how maternal inflammation may be transmitted to fetal circulation.

Substantial cytokine rank-order stability was observed in both cohorts, β's range .47-.96, P's <.001. Two consistent inflammatory components were extracted: a pro-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-γ) component and anti-inflammatory (IL-13) component. Higher maternal pro-inflammatory and lower anti-inflammatory indices during pregnancy were associated with higher cord blood inflammation, P's>.04.