Are Maternal Serum Troponin I Levels Affected by Vaginal or Cesarean Delivery?

Our objective was to describe the change in the level of troponin I in patients who undergo a vaginal or cesarean delivery. We obtained troponin I levels on admission and 1 hour after delivery in women undergoing vaginal and cesarean deliveries. Exclusion criteria included <37 weeks' gestation, a history of cardiac disease, hypertension, or cardiac symptoms. The troponin I level used to indicate myocardial ischemia was 2.0 ng/mL; levels were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. The median age of women in the vaginal versus the cesarean group were 25.6 years and 34.4 years, and the median gestational age for both groups was 39.6 weeks. The median troponin I level before and after vaginal delivery was <0.3 ng/mL and before and after cesarean was <0.3 ng/mL. The highest level of troponin I in either group was 0.3 ng/mL. Troponin I is not elevated as a result of undergoing a vaginal or cesarean delivery. We conclude that troponin I may be used as a reliable marker to diagnose myocardial ischemia in postpartum women.