Summary
Human placental lactogen (HPL) concentrations in maternal serum were measured by double antibody radioimmunoassay in 25 patients who were undergoing abortion by intra‐ and extra‐amniotic injection of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and by extra‐amniotic injection of hypertonic saline in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. The injection of 150 ml. of 20 per cent NaCl did not change the HPL level but the extra‐amniotic injection of 5 to 6 mg. of PGF2α and the intra‐amniotic injection of 20 to 25 mg. of PGF2α decreased the serum HPL level significantly (p<0.01) in the two hours after the injections. PGF2α administered by intrauterine routes appeared to have a direct effect on the placental synthesis and/or the secretion of HPL in early pregnancy.
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