Abstract:

Maternal serum total estrogens (O(T)) human placental lactogen (HPL), pregnancy specific β1-glycoprotein (SP1) and progesterone (P) were measured by enzymeimmunoassays (EIA) in pregnancies with placental insufficiency and low birthweight infants (LBWI). It was demonstrated that these cases could be classified into three groups: Group I: The low levels of placental hormones and O(T) were significantly correlated with each other (p < 0.05 - p < 0.001), as well as with the low birthweight (p < 0.001) in pregnancies with placental insufficiency and LBWI, in which a high percentage (50%) were small for gestational age (SGA). Group II: In cases of simple placental insufficiency, the low levels of placental hormones showed a significant correlation with each other (p < 0.05) whereas only the rather normal O(T) values were correlated with the birthweight of the infant (p < 0.02). Group III: IN pregnancies with SGA, but without apparent placental insufficiency the normal concentration of placental hormones showed a high correlation with each other (p < 0.001) while only the subnormal O(T) levels were correlated significantly with the low infant birthweight (p < 0.05). SP1 values showed abnormally steep increase in cases with perinatal asphyxia.