Journal Health of Woman. 2026. 3(184): 80-86. doi: 10.15574/HW.2026.3(184).8086

 Golyanovskyi V. O.¹, Zahorodnya O. S.², Marunchak M. I.¹, Govsieiev D. O.^1,2
1Kyiv City Perinatal Center, Ukraine
²Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine

For citation: Golyanovskyi VO, Zahorodnya OS, Marunchak MI, Govsieiev DO. (2026). Osteopontin in the pathogenesis of intrapartum fetal distress in obese women. Ukrainian Journal Health of Woman. 3(184): 80-86. doi: 10.15574/HW.2026.3(184).8086
Article received: Mar 03, 2026. Accepted for publication: Jun 01, 2026.

The problems of poorly informative diagnostics of the causes and risk of fetal distress, especially in obese women, require the identification of a specific marker that would allow for the prediction of fetal distress.
Aim – to determine the pathogenetic significance of changes in venous osteopontin concentration in women in labor with fetal distress and obesity.
Materials and methods. 214 women in labor were divided into four groups: 63 patients with obesity and criteria for fetal distress (Group I); 43 patients with obesity without signs of fetal distress (Group II); 51 women without obesity with criteria for fetal distress (Group III); and 57 women without obesity and without signs of fetal distress (Group IV). Venous blood osteopontin levels were measured in all women, and following delivery acid-base balance parameters of umbilical vein blood were analyzed.
Results. Osteopontin concentration in women with obesity was significantly higher than in healthy women. A strong negative correlation between osteopontin levels and umbilical cord blood pH was calculated for Group I, whereas in Group II, this relationship was not detected. A strong correlation between osteopontin levels and base excess (BE) was found in Group I, and a significant correlation was observed in Group III. ROC analysis demonstrated acceptable predictive value for osteopontin concentration as a marker of fetal distress in women with obesity.
Conclusions. Osteopontin levels in women in labor are associated with obesity and signs of fetal compromise. In women with obesity and fetal distress, a link was found between elevated osteopontin levels and umbilical cord blood acid-base parameters, suggesting that osteopontin may serve as a potential auxiliary biomarker of fetal metabolic stress.
The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participating women.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Keywords: fetal distress, osteopontin, obesity, unmilical cord blood pH
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