Electrical switch during labour could be faulty in overweight women

Crucially, the discovery, published today in the journal Nature Communications, shows that women who are overweight have a faulty switch. The finding may explain why overweight women have a higher likelihood of irregular contractions and are more likely to require a caesarean section than other women.

It's well known that strong rhythmic contractions of the uterus are needed to allow the baby's head to dilate the cervix. However little was known about what controls these contractions until now.

The groundbreaking research from Monash University, the Royal Women's Hospital and the Hunter Medical Research Institute, show that a potassium ion channel called hERG in the uterus is responsible.

Acting as a powerful electrical brake, hERG works during pregnancy to suppress contractions and prevent premature labour. However, at the onset of labour a protein acts as a switch to turn hERG off, removing the brake and ensuring that labour can take place.