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The A118G Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism of Human µ-Opioid Receptor Gene and Use of Labor Analgesia

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Abstract

The human µ-opioid receptor (MOR) is the major site of action of endogenous opioids and most of the clinically used opioid analgesics. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), A118G of the MOR 1 gene (OPRM1), has been associated with altered pain perception. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this polymorphism of OPRM1 is associated with a number of pain-related behaviors during labor. In this observational retrospective population-based study, pregnant women (n = 814) were recruited at gestational week 18. A plasma sample was collected from each participant and an SNP genotyping assay was performed. No differences in sociodemographic variables or labor pain-related outcomes, such as stage of cervical dilation on arrival at the delivery unit or use of any type of second-line analgesia during spontaneous labor, were found between noncarriers and G-allele carriers of OPRM1. We conclude that there is no association between the A118G polymorphism of OPRM1 regarding pain-related behavior during labor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden

    Fatimah Dabo Pettersson MD, PhD, Inger Sundström-Poromaa MD, PhD & Helena Åkerud MD, PhD

  2. Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Alfhild Grönbladh MSc & Fred Nyberg PhD

Authors
  1. Fatimah Dabo Pettersson MD, PhD
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  2. Alfhild Grönbladh MSc
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  3. Fred Nyberg PhD
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  4. Inger Sundström-Poromaa MD, PhD
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  5. Helena Åkerud MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Fatimah Dabo Pettersson MD, PhD.

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Pettersson, F.D., Grönbladh, A., Nyberg, F. et al. The A118G Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism of Human µ-Opioid Receptor Gene and Use of Labor Analgesia. Reprod. Sci. 19, 962–967 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719112438970

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