Autonomic nervous system balance in parturient mares: Spontaneous vs induced delivery.
Authors: Felici Martina, Sgorbini Micaela, Baragli Paolo, Lanatà Antonio, Marmorini Paola, Camillo Francesco
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding how the autonomic nervous system responds during equine parturition is clinically important, particularly when deciding between allowing spontaneous delivery and using oxytocin induction protocols—yet comparative data on this physiological response are limited. Researchers monitored heart rate variability (HRV) via portable ECG in 14 mares across four delivery phases (baseline, pre-delivery, active delivery, and placental expulsion), comparing seven mares undergoing spontaneous delivery against seven receiving low-dose oxytocin induction. Both groups displayed parasympathetic (vagal) dominance during active labour and placental expulsion, indicating increased HRV parameters consistent with a calming effect; crucially, no significant autonomic differences emerged between spontaneous and induced deliveries, except that induced mares showed dual sympathetic-parasympathetic activation during the pre-delivery period. For practitioners, these findings suggest that low-dose oxytocin induction does not disrupt the mare's normal neurophysiological response to parturition and appears as autonomically safe as spontaneous delivery—a reassuring data point when clinical circumstances warrant induction to reduce dystocia risk.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Low-dose oxytocin induction appears to be a physiologically safe procedure, producing similar autonomic responses to spontaneous delivery without stress indicators
- •Induced delivery may be a viable option when spontaneous delivery is delayed, without iatrogenic autonomic stress to the mare
- •Monitor for heightened autonomic activity in the pre-delivery phase of induced deliveries as a normal physiological response
Key Findings
- •Spontaneous and induced delivery showed no significant differences in autonomic nervous system balance during parturition
- •Both delivery groups demonstrated parasympathetic dominance during delivery and placental expulsion phases
- •Low-dose oxytocin induction did not alter heart rate variability patterns compared to spontaneous delivery
- •Pre-delivery period in induced delivery mares showed dual autonomic nervous system activation