Effect of labour and surgical stress on serum free fatty acids

Serum free fatty acids (FFA) in 100 parturient (50 primiparous and 50 multiparous volunteers) and 50 female patient (30 patients 20–30 years age group and 20 patients 31–50 yrs age group) volunteers undergoing elective major abdominal surgery were monitored during different stages of delivery and surgery respectively. FFA increased in both primiparous and multiparous from full term (46 mg%) to second stage of labour (60 mg%) and gradually decreased to 38 mg% on the third day postpartum. The intergroup comparison between primiparous and multiparous was significant. Surgical stress also increased FFA from the day of admission (21 mg%) to the preoperative stage (35 mg%). The intergroup comparison between 20–30 yrs age group and 31–50 yrs age group did not show any significant change.