HOPES OF PREMATURE LABOUR INSIGHT

Levels of a naturally occurring cannabis-like compound rise sharply in
a woman's body when she is about to go into labour, research has found.

Scientists from Leicester University believe the finding may help to
identify women at risk of giving birth prematurely.

It may also help to explain why smoking cannabis is linked to a
greater risk of premature labour.

Details are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism.

Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring cannabis-like compounds,
which are produced by many organs in the body.

They are recognised to play important physiological roles, but most of
these are poorly understood.

The Leicester team found that levels of one particular form,
anandamide, are higher before a woman ovulates than afterwards.

More significantly they found that blood levels of the compound fall
steadily during pregnancy, but rise by almost fourfold when women go
into labour.

The rise was very dramatic and appears to begin with the onset of
uterine contractions.

Natural Pain Relief

Researcher Professor Justin Konje said: "These observations have very
significant implications for human reproduction.

"Could the rise be an important signal for the control of labour? Is
this nature's response to pain relief for labour? How are these
changes affected in those smoking marijuana?

"Since marijuana is associated with preterm labour, failure of babies
to grow properly in the uterus and miscarriages, could it therefore
interfere with the anandamide pathway and the resultant effects on
pregnancy?"

A previous study in Italy has shown that women are more likely to
miscarry if they had low levels of the enzyme responsible for breaking
down anandamide.

Professor Konje said a better understanding of anandamide and this
associated enzyme was likely to help improve the chances of successful
implantation and reduce the rate of miscarriage.

"This work is a breakthrough as it opens up several areas of research
with potential implications for women with infertility, miscarriages
and various complications of pregnancy.

"Most importantly, we believe that the observations could provide a
new means of identifying women in true preterm labour, a complication
which causes death in babies and major disability in children."

Research Focus

Dr Heike Rabe, a neonatologist from Brighton and Sussex University
Hospitals, told the BBC News website the role of endocannabinoids in
embryo implantation, pregnancy and the onset of labour had been the
focus of much recent research.

She said: "There is a high concentration of the endocannaboid
anandamide in the uterine tissue which also contains a high number of
receptors for it.

"There is a controversial discussion in the literature whether
endocrine cannaboids could play a role in miscarriage or early onset
of labour.

"So far, the endocannaboids could mostly be measured in tissue samples
only.

"It is therefore important that a blood test is now available so that
blood levels could be measured several times during pregnancy.

"Professor Konje has outlined the questions to be answered in future
research. If the research projects are successful, they could
potentially contribute to the prevention of miscarriages and/or
premature onset of labour in the future."