Parturition in mammals demands a precise coordination of several neuro-immune-endocrine interactions including: a sterile inflammatory response that involves secretion of inflammation mediators like cytokines/chemokines; changes in the secretion of hormones such as progestogen, estrogens, cortisol, and oxytocin; as well as adjustments of the neuroautonomic function. Specifically, the so-called cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway seems to play a key role in the homeostasis of the neuro-immune-endocrine axis by adjusting the vagus nerve activity during parturition. Here, we provide insights into the importance of the vagus during parturition from an autonomic, endocrine, and immune interplay perspective, and describe the potential role of heart rate variability analysis to explore these interactions noninvasively, economically, and accessibly.
Keywords: HRV; anti-inflammatory reflex; labor; oxytocin; vagus nerve.
© 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.