Summary
Serial estimations of serum oxytocinase, urinary oestrogen and serum heat stable alkaline phosphatase (HSAP) were performed during pregnancy in normotensive and hypertensive patients.
Patients delivered of growth retarded infants whether hypertensive or not, failed to show the progressive increase in serum oxytocinase. urinary oestrogen and serum HSAP seen in the group of patients delivered of normal infants. By using the regression coefficient (x1) of log10 enzyme or hormone concentration on time of gestation and the mean value (x1) for each patient, linear discriminant functions of the form Z = a1 x1+a2x2+C were derived and satisfactory prediction of intrauterine fetal growth retardation was achieved over two time intervals, namely 28 to 35.5 weeks and 34 to 40 weeks gestation.
Serum oxytocinase was found to be superior to urinary oestrogen assays for the prediction of intrauterine fetal growth retardation. Serum HSAP estimations carried out on a smaller number of patients were less useful for this purpose. By combining the urinary oestrogen and serum oxytocinase results into a single discriminant function, normal fetal growth was predicted in 33 out of 37 patients and intrauterine fetal growth retardation in 21 out of 22 patients studied between 34 to 40 weeks gestation.
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