HORMONE AND ENZYME ASSAYS IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

ABSTRACT A comparative study of human chorionic somatomammotrophin (HCS), placental cystine-aminopeptidase (P-CAP), progesterone and total urinary oestrogens (Oe) in pregnancies complicated with essential hypertension, mild or severe pre-eclampsia was performed. No significant reduction in the 4 parameters could be demonstrated in cases complicated with essential hypertension. In cases complicated with mild pre-eclampsia, however, a significant reduction was found in the HCS (P < 0.001) and P-CAP (0.01 <P < 0.02) but not in the urinary oestrogen values (0.1 < P < 0.2). A tendency to increased progesterone values could be demonstrated. Furthermore, in those cases of mild pre-eclampsia associated with a birth weight below the 10 percentile, the HCS and P-CAP assays proved to be more sensitive than the urinary oestrogen assay. No influence upon the progesterone levels was observed in these cases. On the other hand, in pregnancies complicated with severe pre-eclampsia the HCS, P-CAP and urinary oestrogen values were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) but not the progesterone values (P > 0.5). Again, when severe pre-eclampsia was associated with low birth weight, HCS and P-CAP were the most reliable tests. Based upon the HCS, P-CAP and the urinary oestrogen readings placental and foeto-placental scores were introduced. The placental score provided valuable information concerning the viability of the infants but no additional information was obtained by the foetoplacental score. The results indicated that simultaneous measurements of HCS and P-CAP as a placental function test and total urinary oestrogens as a foeto-placental test contribute reliable information in pregnancies complicated with pre-eclampsia. The measurement of progesterone could not be recommended as a test for the placental function.