BACKGROUND After birth, apoptosis rates might slow down, compared to those in utero. Thus, factors, attenuating the apoptotic process, like the soluble forms of Fas/FasL system, may increase. AIM-STUDY DESIGN: Soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) concentrations were measured in maternal serum (MS), umbilical cord (UC) and neonatal serum in the first (1N) and fifth (5N) days after birth in order to evaluate the alterations of these molecules during the early neonatal period. METHODS Soluble molecules were estimated in 35 healthy, appropriate for gestational age, full-term neonates, their mothers and in 25 healthy, nonpregnant women, age-matched to the mothers (controls), using enzyme immunoassays. RESULTS sFas concentrations in MS (p < 0.01), UC (p < 0.0001), 1N (p < 0.0003) and 5N (p < 0.02) were lower than those in controls. Neonatal sFas concentrations showed a significant increase from UC to 5N (p < 0.001). In contrast, sFasL concentrations were significantly elevated in all neonatal samples (UC, 1N and 5N) compared to those in MS and controls (p < 0.0001), showing also a significant elevation from UC to 5N (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate increasing serum concentrations of the soluble molecules sFas and sFasL during the first days after birth, indicating possibly a gradual decrease of apoptosis in early neonatal life.