All issues > Volume 30(3); 1987

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1987;30(3):253-258. Published online March 31, 1987.

Comparison of C3 and C4 in Umbilical Blood and with those in Maternal Sera.

Bong Joon Chung¹, Jong Woo Shin¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Pusan National University

Abstract

To assess the fetal development of the complement system, C3 and C4 in umbilical arterial and venous blood were measured, and compared with those in maternal sera. Moreover, C3 and C4 in maternal sera were compared with those in normal adult women’s sera. The results were as following: 1) The difference of mean C3 and C4 between neonatal umbilical arterial and venous blood was not significant. 2) The difference of mean C3 and C4 between maternal and normal adult women was not significant. 3) The concentration of C3 and C4 was greater in maternal umbilical cord blood, and the ratios of term neonatal to maternal serum concentrations of C3 and C4 were 0.51 and 0.53. 4) Because the calculated maternal-neonatal umbilical cord correlation coefficients (r) of C3 was 0.34, there was no correlation in C3 between maternal sera and neonatal umbilical cord blood. 5) Because the calculated maternal-neonatal umbilical cord correlation coefficients (r) of C4 was 0.50, there was correlation in C4 between maternal sera and neonatal umbilical cord blood (p<0.05). 6) There was a significant correlation between C4 in umbilical cord blood and gestational age, but no correlation in between C3 in umbilical cord blood and gestational age.

Keywords :Complement, C3 and C4